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i LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, 



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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



CEREMONIES, 
CUSTOMS, RITES, AND TRADITIONS 

OF 

THE JEWS, 

INTERSPERSED WITH 

GLEANINGS PROM THE JEEUSALEM AND BABYLONISH TALMUD, 
AND THE 

TARGUMS, MISHNA, GEMARA, MAIMONIDES, 
ABARBANEL, ZOHAR, ABEN-EZRA, ORAL LAW, ETC. ETC. 

5n a manner nzbzx befaxz gxtblttifytls. 

ALSO, 

A COPIOUS SELECTION 

FROM SOME OF THEIR PRAYERS, AS TRANSLATED AND USED BY THE 

POLISH AND GERMAN JEWS, 

AT THE PRESENT TIME, IN THEIR DIFFERENT SYNAGOGUES. 



BY HYAM ISAACS, 

A CONVERTED JEW. 



T ♦ T pna 

: o'twK rvwD onnba na 1 ?! vise isrrv man 

" Howbeit, in vain do they worship me, teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of Men."— St. Mark vii.7. 
SECOND EDITION. 



LONDON: 

Printed by T. and C. Buck, 4, Ctdlum Street, Fenchurch Street ; and 

PUBLISHED BY S. HOLDS WORTH, AMEN CORNER, 



PATERNOSTER ROW. 



1836. 



x 7 



PREFACE. 



Christian Readers, 

I presume not to present myself before you in 
the important character of an efficient author, but 
as an humble gleaner j and should the few serious 
and interesting fragments I have gathered together 
contribute, in any degree, to the advancement of 
the great objects I have in view, viz. the instruction 
and improvement of the Church of Christ, and the 
Glory of God, I shall feel highly gratified, and 
amply rewarded. 

I wish it also to be understood, that I am pecu- 
liarly desirous of exciting your attention to, and 
stimulating your prayers, on behalf of my ignorant 
and long-neglected brethren, according to the flesh, 
the Jews, And here I consider I am standing up 
to claim the exercise of Christian hospitality on 
behalf of nearly seven millions of God's ancient 
race. 

You have, no doubt, read many Missionary 
reports, and have found, to your inexpressible joy, 
that thousands of heathens, in foreign lands, have 
already cast their idols to the moles and the bats, 
and are now serving the living God. But notwith- 
standing this, there are yet many millions more in 
different parts of the globe, still serving idols, the 
work of their own hands ; and it must be observed, 
that all such who are still serving such idols, and 



iv. 



PREFACE. 



those who formerly did it, are all to be considered 
as enveloped in ignorance, not knowing what they 
are doing. 

But you must not compare the Jews to the 
heathen world ; for where is there a more enlight- 
ened people to be found than the general body of 
the Jews, in many respects ? Yet I am sorry to 
say, in reference to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, 
they are completely in the dark ; indeed they are 
so blinded, that they will believe the most absurd 
Traditions which are sent forth by the ancient 
Rabbies ; and they consider that in doing so, they 
are resting their opinions upon a good foundation ; 
but alas ! eventually they will find it is only upon 
the sand. But the readers will bear in mind, that 
this is not altogether to be attributed to ignorance, 
but in a considerable degree to education. These 
principles are instilled into their minds from their 
very infancy, and they grow up with their growth, 
till they adhere to them with unflinching stedfast- 
ness, even till the hour of their death. 

I hope none will be found, in this enlightened 
age, who consider they are not bound to regard the 
Jews as an interesting race of their fellow men. 
We may consider them as our elder brethren, and 
of course not justified in thinking them unworthy 
of our love and esteem. Yet I have often met 
with many in my travels, and who call themselves 
Christians, that while they censure the Jews, are 
not half so careful in their observance of Gospel 
ordinances as the Jews are in their regard to 
Rabbinical and other Traditions. Some have gone 



PREFACE. 



V. 



so far as to say, "What have we received from the 
Jews, that should entitle them to our prayers?" 
I replied, by asking another question — " What have 
we that has not emanated from the Jews ?" These 
are the people who have for nearly eighteen 
hundred years been driven into different parts of 
the world ; have endured all kinds of persecution ; 
yet in all their tribulations, they have kept the 
ancient Bible pure unto this day. Remember the 
twelve apostles, to whom the Christian world is 
indebted, were Jews. Think also of Him who took 
upon himself the seed of Abraham ; he was from the 
stem of Jesse, and of the house of David — in a 
word — he was a Jew — and never forget that it is 
by the blood of this Jew — even Jesus Christ — that 
all must be saved, if saved at all. 

Some have said, it is of no avail to pray for the 
Jews ; and ask, has not God said, " After those 
days I w T ill give them a new heart, and a right 
understanding?" We admit that God has promised 
to do all this, and that it will eventually be fulfilled; 
but he works by means, and it is the prayers of the 
righteous avail much with God. God determined 
of old, to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, 
but he told Abraham, if but only ten praying or 
righteous individuals could be found therein, those 
cities should be spared. God has promised to con- 
vert the Jews, but it will never be done but only as 
the full answer to prayer and faith. 

In the compilation of the present work, I have 
endeavored, to the best of my ability, to select 
from the voluminous contents of the Jewish Talmud 



vi. 



PREFACE. 



and Liturgy, those parts which I considered the 
best adapted for my present object; and I assure 
my readers that it has been a work of some little 
labor and anxiety to translate it from the Hebrew 
records, and especially from the Rabbinical docu- 
ments, which are printed in a diversity of ways in 
the original. But it will afford me peculiar satis- 
faction, if what I have done may, in any way, be 
instrumental in exciting the Christian world to do 
good to my highly-esteemed brethren of the seed of 
Abraham. 

I shall only make one remark more. In my 
gleanings, I have aimed at being as particular and 
as correct as possible, but if, after all my solicitude, 
there should be found a useless or a dangerous 
word, I hope it will be overlooked, and that my 
readers will remember, that it is no uncommon 
thing, even with the most careful gleaner, when he 
goes into the harvest field, though far from his 
wish, to catch up some useless weed, which when 
discovered, is soon cast away. In like manner I 
wish my readers to deal with the handful now 
placed before them; and my closing prayer now is, 
that the blessing of the Lord may rest upon you, 
while you peruse these gleanings, that they may 
have the effect of stirring you up to love, pity, and 
pray for that people whom God formerly loved, 
and will eventually save. 

HYAM ISAACS, 

FROM THE SEED OF ABRAHAM. 

Cowick Street, St. Thomas, 
Exeter, Devon. 



REMARKS 



ON THE 



TRADITIONS AND CEREMONIES 



or 



THE JEWS. 



The thirteen fundamental articles of the Jewish faith. 

I. 

I believe, with a perfect faith, that God (blessed 
be his name), is the Creator and Governor of all 
created things; and that he alone has made, and 
ever will make, every production. 

II. 

I believe, with a perfect faith, that the Creator, 
(blessed be his name) , is one God, and that there is 
no unity whatever like unto his, and that he alone 
is our God, who was, who is, and who will be 
eternally. 

III. 

I believe, with a perfect faith, that the Creator 
(blessed be his name), is incorporeal: that he is 



10 ARTICLES OF THE JEWISH FAITH. 



not subject to any of the changes incident to matter, 
and that he has not any similitude whatever. 

IV. 

I believe, with a perfect faith, that the Creator 
(blessed be his name), is both the first and last of 
all things. 

V. 

I believe, with a perfect faith, that to the Creator, 
(blessed be his name), yea, to him only, is it proper 
to address our prayers ; and that it is not proper to 
pray to any other being. 

VI. 

I believe, with a perfect faith, that all the words 
of the Prophets are true. 

VII. 

I believe, with a perfect faith, that the prophecy of 
Moses, our instructor, (may his soul rest in peace), 
was true prophecy ; and that he excelled all the 
sages who preceded him, or who may succeed him. 

VIII. 

I believe, with a perfect faith, that the law, which 
we now have in our possession, is the same law 
which was given to Moses, our instructor, (may his 
soul rest in peace). 

IX. 

I believe, with a perfect faith, that this law will 
never be changed ; and that the Creator (blessed be 
his name) , will never give us any other law. 

X. 

I believe, with a perfect faith, that the Creator 
(blessed be his name), knoweth all the actions and 
thoughts of man ; as it is said, "He fashioneth all 



FORMS OF THE JEWISH FESTIVALS. 11 



their hearts, and is fully acquainted with all their 
works. " # 

XI. 

I believe, with a perfect heart, that the Creator 
(blessed be his name), rewards those who observe 
his commandments, and punishes those who trans- 
gress them. 

XII. 

I believe, with a perfect faith, that the Messiah 
will come ; and although his coming be delayed, I 
will still in daily hope patiently await his appearance. 

XIII. 

I believe, with a perfect faith, that their will be 
a resurrection of the dead, at the time when it shall 
please the Creator, (blessed and exalted be his 
name for ever and ever). 



Forms, customs, and manners of the chief Jewish fes- 
tivals, and the chief rules laid down by the ancient 
and modern Robbies, which they say was given by 
divine revelation on Mount Sinai to Moses, specifi- 
cally appropriated for different periods of festivals. 

Moses received the law from Mount Sinai, and de- 
livered it to his brother Aaron, and in succession 
to Eleazar his son, and handed it down to Joshua, 
and Joshua to the elders, and from the elders to the 

* - Psalm xxxiii. 



12 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 

prophets, and the prophets to the learned men of 
Jerusalem, and those to the Rabbies of the Jewish 
community. 

The first festival is on new-year's day, the first 
day of the seventh month Tisri, which is about 
the month of September or October. Eight and 
twenty days before new-year's day, it is a custom 
in every synagogue for the chief Rabbi, or one of 
the congregation, who is looked upon as a man of 
integrity and piety, to blow a ram's horn, which 
is manufactured to a peculiar shape, of which, was 
I to give you a description, and the ceremonies 
attending it, it would fill a small volume ; suffice it 
to say, the ram's horn is not to be blown until the 
Rabbi has approved of it, according to rule. The 
foundation of blowing it, is in commemoration of 
Abraham offering his son Isaac upon the altar, on 
Mount Mori ah, when Abraham took the knife to 
slay his son, as in Genesis xxii. 10, 11, 12, 13, "And 
Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the 
knife to slay his son, and the angel of the Lord 
called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, 
Abraham; and he said, here am I. And he said, 
lay not thy hand upon the lad, neither do any thing 
unto him ; for now I know that thou fearest God, 
seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only 
son from me. And Abraham lifted up his eyes and 
looked, and behold behind Mm a ram caught in a 
thicket by his horns, and Abraham went and took 
the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering 
instead of his son." And God blessed Abraham, 
and said, I will multiply thy seed as the stars in 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 13 

heaven, and as the sand which is on the sea shore, 
and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth 
be blessed, because thou hast obeyed my voice, 
and thy seed shall possess the land of promise for 
ever. 

Therefore in remembrance of the ram being caught 
in the thicket by his horns, this horn is blown in 
the synagogues. When God hears the sound of the 
ram's horn, they pray that he would have pity ac- 
cording to his promise, that all his seed should be 
saved; for every Jew prides himself as being a 
child of Abraham. The purport of the new-year's 
day is this: they keep it for two days in succession, 
according to the tabernacle notion, on the suppo- 
sition that they have lost one day in their reckoning. 

Now this is the firm belief of every Jew in the 
world: when a Jew is born, the angels of God, that 
is to say two, one to preside over evil, and one over 
good deeds ; each angel has got a measure, one for 
evil deeds, and one for good deeds; therefore, 
whatever measure is full first, is the sign. So 
each presiding angel brings, in the course of the 
year, his account before God; then, on new-year's 
day, God decrees who shall live or who shall die 
the following year; for you will find as I proceed, 
that God may alter his decree, although either of 
the measures may be full. It is a rule among ninety- 
nine Jews out of every hundred, that if it should so 
happen, that any family contention, of any descrip- 
tion, should exist at those times, they make friends, 
and even if any law-suit be pending among them, 
they stop all proceeding; as they ask, How can 



14 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 



they expect God to forgive them, if they do not 
forgive one another? So that it frequently occurs, 
that law-suits are postponed, and that only, until 
the day of atonement is past. 

They are taught by the Rabbies to believe, that 
God delights for them to provide good food for their 
festivals, such as meat, fish, and wine, for they con- 
tend that the soul of man is holy, the property of 
God, and he being heavenly, and the body earthly, 
they compare the body to a tenement, in which the 
soul dwells, and as it is well known according to 
nature, every tenant, whether he be high or low, 
likes to dwell in a comfortable house, having every 
conveniency ; so, upon the same ground by the Jews 
feeding their body well, keeping up their strength, 
they consider the soul delights in it. Psalm lxiii. 5. 
— "My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and 
fatness, and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful 
lips." 

I must not omit to inform my readers, that in 
this kingdom there are not synagogues enough to 
accommodate the whole body of the Jews, provided 
they were to congregate the year round, as they do 
on their set festivals ; for it often occurs that seat- 
holders in the synagogue do not attend, except on 
these occasions; such as new-year's day — day of 
atonement — the feast of the tabernacles — passover 
— and pentecost; although, in many respects, the 
expenses to some private individuals for their seats, 
&c. &c. which I shall treat more largely upon here- 
after, amount, very frequently, as high as forty 
and fifty pounds yearly: for it is a form amongst 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 15 

the seat-holders to be called up to have a portion of 
the scriptures read to them on particular Sabbaths; 
and as their attendance is not regular, the secretary 
of the synagogue, when it comes to their rotation, 
apprizes them of it, by summons, that their pre- 
sence is expected at the synagogue, under a certain 
fine for non-attendance. And according to the rules 
and regulations of the synagogue, it often happens 
that many of them reside at distances from their 
places of worship, so between the intermediate times 
of the year those that cannot afford to rent a seat, 
occupy those seats indiscriminately ; therefore, as 
the Jews congregate on their particular festivals, 
such as passover — new-year's day — and the year of 
atonement, every travelling Jew, and distant house- 
holder makes it a point of conscience, if possible, 
to be present at their nearest synagogue on those 
particular times, when the Jews congregate in set 
places in different parts of the kingdom, such as 
London, Exeter, Bath, Bristol, Liverpool, Manches- 
ter, Plymouth, Falmouth, &c. &c. 

I must not omit to mention this also, that as 
the greatest body of them cannot find accommoda- 
tion in London, they have temporary places fitted 
up for service, and for this temporary accommoda- 
tion, they pay a trifle, which just covers the ex- 
penses for the fitting up. Such as have it not in 
their power, have their sittings free of expense. 
It is dehghtful in the extreme to see the love 
and lenity that is manifested towards each other 
amongst the Jews, knowing that they cannot, or do 
not receive it from the world at large : being despised 



16 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 

and rejected among all nations. Among the poor 
and rich, young and old, there is such brotherly 
love which no tongue can express, and which is 
more particularly manifested on new-year's day, 
under the idea that God is sitting on his judgment- 
seat to try every Jew ; for on that day their doom 
is fixed by God; that is to say, who shall live, or 
who shall die, the following year, and in what 
manner they shall depart this life; those that shall 
die by fire — by water— by famine — by sword — or 
pestilence, &c. &c. On this day of the new year, 
children go to their parents, relations and friends, 
neighbours and acquaintances; they make a point 
to meet each other, and greet each other with this 
salutation, as it is customary in this season to hail 
each other with these words, " May you be in- 
scribed for a happy year;" (which puts one in mind 
at a court of assizes, as prisoners when they are 
arraigned at the bar, generally the clerk of the 
arraigns says to the prisoner, "Will you be tried 
by your God and your country?" The prisoner 
generally says, " I will ,be tried by my God and 
country ;" when it is the custom for the clerk of 
the arraigns to make this reply, "May God send 
you a happy deliverance"). 

My dear readers, it is well known to each one 
who has the least spark of Christianity, if we do 
not persevere in the precepts laid down by our 
Saviour, the longer they live without repentance, 
the more sin will multiply upon us ; but according 
to the Jewish precepts and law laid down in the 
Talmud, Megillah, Mishna, &c, no Jew can have 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 17 

more than one year's sin to answer for, or two 
year's at farthest; for this reason, that on the 
new-year's day, God forgives every Jew his sins 
and trespasses, except those who are doomed to die 
the following year. So on that ground, the reader 
will perceive, that the Jew who is appointed to die, 
although God has doomed him to death, yet, let it 
be remembered, according to their idea, sentence is 
not finally passed upon them until the day of atone- 
ment ; and even if he were not to depart this life 
within two or three days before the next new-year's 
day following, then at most he cannot have more 
than two year's sins to answer for. Every Jew 
prays within himself, "If I am doomed to die this 
year, may I die early, that my sins may not multi- 
ply upon me." 

Let it be remarked, that the evening preceding 
the first day of Tisri, the Jews commence their 
reckoning, and calculate the times and seasons the 
same now as they did in days of old ; viz. hours 
audi. watches. The day they reckon from sunrise to 
sunset, and divide it into twelve equal parts : the 
night from sunset to sunrise, and divide that also 
into equal parts, and call them the first, second, 
third, and fourth watches. The first watch from 
sunset to the third hour of the night. The second 
or middle watch, from the third hour to the sixth. 
The third watch, or cockcrowing, from the sixth to 
the ninth. The fourth, or morning watch, from the 
ninth hour to sunrise — as you will find in Gen. i. 5. 
— "And God called the light day, and the darkness 
he called night, and the evening and the morning 
c 



18 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 

were the first day." Time is reckoned from evening 
to morning ; for even at present times, one half hour 
before the sun sets is reckoned for a day ; so on the 
same ground, a half hour, or a quarter after the 
sun rises in the morning is reckoned for a day. 
For we read, that Christ was three days in his 
grave ; he was taken down from the cross at the 
ninth hour, and was buried before sunset, which, 
upon a fair calculation, from the time he was taken 
down from the cross, until the tim ehe was put into 
the sepulchre, could not be long before sunset ; 
still, if only a quarter of an hour, or at farthest one 
hour, yet it is reckoned for a day. You read that on 
the third day Christ rose early in the morning, which 
is still reckoned for a day. At the present time 
every male child is circumcised on the eighth day; 
for instance, if a mother should give birth to a 
male child, we will say on a Monday, ten minutes 
before the sun sets, then the child is circumcised on 
Monday the eighth day following ; but if the child be 
brought forth ten minutes after sunset, then the 
child is circumcised on Tuesday the eighth day fol- 
lowing. 

Perhaps it may be said by the world at large, 
that the Jews are more nice than wise: I have often- 
times prayed to God, that those who call themselves 
Christians, would be as strict in the gospel of Jesus 
Christ as the Jews are to the law. It must be re- 
marked that the Jewish sabbath commences on the 
Friday evening at sunset: now consider — in the 
winter season, when the days are at the shortest 
period, the sabbath commences at four o'clock, and 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 19 

remains so for about eight weeks; as the days 
lengthen they rise an hour, until it comes to seven 
o'clock, the evening service commencing at sunset. 
The evening preceding the new-year's day, the Jews 
go to synagogue for divine worship, and here I 
shall introduce some part of the service. They com- 
mence with — 

" O Lord! open thou my lips, that my mouth 
may declare thy praise. 

"Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, and the God 
of our ancestors ; the God of Abraham ; the God of 
Isaac ; and the God of Jacob ; the great mighty and 
tremendous God; O most high God! bestower of 
gracious favors: possesser of all things: who re- 
membereth the piety of the Patriarchs ; and who in 
love will send a Redeemer to their posterity for the 
sake of his name. Mark us for life, O King! who 
delighteth in life, for thine own sake, O God of 
life, O King! thou art our supporter, our Saviour, 
and shield. Blessed art thou, O Lord ! the shield 
of Abraham. 

" O Lord, thou art mighty for ever: thou art the 
restorer of life to the dead, yea, mighty in salvation ; 
thou sustaineth the living by beneficence ; quick - 
eneth the dead with great mercy ; supportest the 
fallen ; and healest the sick ; releasest the captive, 
and upholdest thy faith with those who sleep in the 
dust: who is like unto thee, O mighty Lord! who 
can resemble thee, OKing! who dost order death, 
and restorest to life, and causeth salvation to spring 
forth ; who is like unto thee, O merciful Father, who 
in mercy remembereth to decree life to his creatures. 



20 FORMS, QUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 



And truly dost thou cause the dead to return to 
life, blessed art thou, O Lord! who revivest the dead. 

" Thou art holy, and thy name is holy; and the 
saints shall daily praise thee. 

' ' O Lord, our God ! deign so to impress thine 
awe over all thy works; and thy dread over all 
thou hast created, that all thy works may fear thee, 
and all creatures bow down before thee; may they 
all form one band to perform thy will with an upright 
heart, convinced as we are, O Lord, our God, that 
dominion is thine ; might in thy hand ; power in 
thy right hand ; and that thy name is awful over 
all which thou hast created. 

"Thus, O Lord, grant honor unto thy people; 
applause unto those who fear thee ; hope unto those 
who seek thee ; and confidence unto those who 
pant for thee ; joy unto thy land ; gladness unto thy 
city ; a renewal of the dominion of David thy ser- 
vant, and an ordination of splendor for the son of 
Jesse, thine anointed, speedily, even in our days. 

^'And this shall the righteous behold, and be 
glad; the upright exult, and the saints rejoice in 
song; iniquity shall shut its mouth, and all wicked- 
ness vanish as smoke, for thou wilt remove the do- 
minion of vice from the earth. 

"Then, O Lord ! wilt thou alone reign over all 
thy works in Mount Zion, the residence of thy 
glory ; and in Jerusalem, the city of thy sanctuary, 
as it is expressed in thy holy writ: 4 The Lord reign- 
eth for ever, even thy God, O Zion! from gene- 
ration to generation.' — Hallelujah! 

"Holy art thou, and awful is thy name; and there 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 21 

is no God besides thee, as it is written : 'And the 
Lord of Hosts shall be exalted in judgment ; and 
the Holy God shall be sanctified through righteous- 
ness.' Blessed art thou, O Lord, our Holy King! 

' ' Thou hast chosen us from all people ; thou hast 
loved us, been pleased with us, and hast exalted us 
above all nations ; sanctified us with thy command- 
ments, and brought us near unto thy service, O our 
King ! yea, even by thy great and holy name, hast 
thou denominated us." 

[If any of the holidays he on Saturday night, the fol- 
lowing is added]. 
"Thou hast made us acquainted, O Lord, our 
God ! with thy righteous judgments ; and taught 
us to execute the statutes of thy pleasure; yea, thou 
hast given unto us, O Lord, our God ! righteous 
judgments, and the law of truth ; statutes and ex- 
cellent commandments. Thou didst also put us in 
possession of seasons of joy, sacred holidays, and 
freely devoted festivals ; thou also didst cause us to 
inherit the sacred delight of the sabbath, the glory 
of the holidays, and the enjoyment of regular fes- 
tivals. Thou, O Lord, our God ! hast made a dis- 
tinction between the holy, and the profane — be- 
tween light and darkness — between Israel and the 
nations — between the seventh day and the six days 
of work — between the sanctification of the sabbath, 
and the sanctification of the holidays, hast thou 
made a difference ; and the seventh day from the 
six days of work, hast thou separated as sacred, and 
thou hast separated and sanctified thy people Israel 
with thy holy consecration. 



22 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 



"And with love hast thou given us, O Lord, our 
God ! [on the sabbath, say, the sabbath-day] , this 
day of memorial, the day of sounding the horn 
[on the sabbath, say, the memorial of sounding the 
horn], an holy convocation, in commemoration of 
the departure from Egypt. 

"Our God, and the God of our fathers! grant 
that our memorial, and our appointment — the me- 
morial of our fathers — the memorial of the Messiah, 
the son of David thy servant — the memorial of Je- 
rusalem, thy holy city, and — the memorial of all 
thy people the house of Israel may ascend, arrive, 
approach, be seen, accepted, heard, visited, and 
remembered in thy presence, for our happy deliver- 
ance, with favor, grace and mercy, life and peace, 
[if on the sabbath, say, on this sabbath day], on 
this day of memorial. Be mindful of us thereon, 
O Lord, our God ! for our good, visit us thereon 
with a blessing, and save us thereon to enjoy life ; 
and according to thy word of salvation and mercy, 
have compassion, and be gracious unto us. O have 
mercy upon us, and save us, for our eyes are con- 
stantly bent towards thee, O God ! who art a gra- 
cious and merciful King. 

"Our God, and the God of our ancestors ! reign 
thou in thy glory over the whole world ; and let thy 
majesty be exalted over the whole earth. O shine 
forth in the glory of thy supreme power over all the 
inhabitants of thy terrestrial world ; so that every 
production may be sensible of thy being its fabri- 
cator ; and every thing formed understand that thou 
hast formed it ; then shall all who have breath in 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 23 

their nostrils declare, the Lord God of Israel reign- 
eth, and his dominion ruleth over all. [If on the 
sabbath day, say, our God, and the God of our 
fathers, O graciously accept our resting]. Sanc- 
tify us with thy commandments, grant thy law 
to be our portion ; sanctify us with thy beneficence, 
and cause us to rejoice in thy salvation. [If on the 
sabbath, say, make us, O Lord, our God, inherit 
thy holy sabbath, with all due love and delight, and 
grant that Israel, who sanctify thy name, may have 
rest thereon] . O purify our hearts to worship thee 
with earnestness, for thou, O Lord, art truth, and 
thy promise is true, and remaineth for ever. Blessed 
art thou, O Lord, King of the whole earth, who 
sanctifiest the sabbath to Israel and the day of me- 
morial. 

"Be favorable, O Lord, our God ! unto thy people 
Israel, and unto their prayers ; restore the service 
to the oracle of thine house ; and may the offerings 
of Israel, and their prayers be accepted by thee 
with love and favor ; and the worship of thy people 
Israel be ever pleasing unto thee. 

" O may our eyes behold thy return to Zion in 
mercy. Blessed art thou, O Lord ! who restoreth 
his glory unto Zion. 

"For all these mercies shall thy name, O, our 
King! be continually praised and exalted for ever 
and ever. O vouchsafe to inscribe all the children 
of thy covenant for a happy life. 

"And all the living will ever give thanks unto 
thee, and praise thy name with earnestness, O God! 
who art our salvation and help for ever. Blessed 



24 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 



art thou, O Lord ! goodness is thy name, and unto 
thee it is fitting to render acknowledgments. 

' 1 We make our acknow- 
ledgments unto thee, for 
thou art the Lord, our 
God ! and the God of our 
ancestors for evermore ; 
the rock of our life, and 
the shield of our salva- 



tion art thou during all 
generations. We will ren- 
der thanks unto thee, and 
declare thy praise for our 
lives, which are at the 
disposal of thine hand ; 
for our individual souls, 
which are in thy care ; 
for thy miracles, which 
we daily experience, and 
for thy wonders and thy 
kindness, which at all 
times, at morn, noon and 
eve, are dispensed unto 
us. Thou art good ; yea, 
thy compassion never 
fails; thou art merciful, 
and thy kindness never 
ceases ; ever more do we 
put our trust in thee. 

" Our God, and the God of our ancestors! O bless 
us with that three-fold benediction expressed in the 



' ' We make our acknow- 
ledgments unto thee, for 
thou art the Lord, our 
God, and the God of our 
ancestors, the God of all 
flesh, our Creator, Crea- 
tor of all at the beginning. 
Be blessings and thanks- 
givings ascribed to thy 
great and holy name, 
for having preserved 
our lives, and hitherto 
supported us. Thus do 
we beseech thee to grant 
life unto us in future, and 
to assemble our dispersed 
in the courts of thy 
sanctuary, that we may 
observe thy statutes, do 
thy will, and serve thee 
with an upright heart, O 
thou blessed God of 
thanksgivings ! 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 25 



law, as written by the hands of thy servant Moses, 
and pronounced by Aaron, and his sons the priests, 
the sanctified people ; saying, ' the Lord bless and 
preserve thee.' [Cong. grant it, for the piety of Abra- 
ham] . ' The countenance of the Lord shall shine 
upon thee, and be gracious unto thee.' [Cong. 
grant it, for the piety of Isaac] . £ The Lord will turn 
his countenance towards thee, and put thee in peace,' 
[Cong. grant it, for the piety of Jacob], and give 
peace unto Israel. O thou who art mighty in the 
highest heavens, dwelling in power, who art peace, 
and whose name is peace * mayest thou be pleased 
to grant unto us, and to all thy people, the house of 
Israel, life and blessings for permanent peace. 



In the morning, say: 
"O grant peace, hap- 
piness, and blessings ; 
grace, favors, and mercy 
unto us, and unto all thy 
people Israel; bless us, 
even all of us together, O 
our Father ! with the light 
of thy countenance, for 
by the light of thy coun- 
tenance, thou hast given 
us, O Lord, our God! 
the law of life, gracious 
love, righteousness, bles- 
sing, mercy, life, and 
peace ; and may it please 
thee to bless thy people 
Israel at all times. 



In the afternoon and even- 
ing, say: 
"O grant thy people 
Israel, everlasting peace ; 
for thou, O King, art 
the Lord of peace ! may 
it be pleasing in thine 
eyes to bless thy people 
Israel at all times, and 
in all seasons, with thy 
peace. 



26 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 



"In the book of life, blessing, peace, and good 
maintenance. O let us, and all the house of Israel, 
be by thee remembered, and inscribed to enjoy a 
peaceful and happy life. Blessed art thou, O Lord! 
who maketh peace. 

"O, my God! guard my tongue from evil, and 
my lips from uttering deceit. Towards those who 
curse me, be my soul as dumb ; and towards all, be 
it as humble as the dust. Open my heart to the re- 
ception of thy law, that my soul may pursue thy 
commandments. O frustrate, speedily, I beseech 
thee, the devices, and destroy the machinations of 
all those who imagine evil against me. O grant it 
for the sake of thy name ; grant it for the puissance 
of thy right hand • grant it on account of thy holiness ; 
grant it for the honor of thy law : that thy beloved 
may be revealed. Let thy right hand save, and do 
thou answer me. May the words of my mouth, and 
the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy 
presence, O Lord, my Rock, and my Redeemer ! 
May he who establisheth peace in his high heavens, 
grant peace unto us, and all Israel; and say ye, 
Amen. 

"May it please thee, O Lord, our God! and the 
God of our fathers ! that the holy temple may be 
soon rebuilt in our days ; and to determine thy law 
to be our portion. And there will we worship thee 
with awe, as in days of old and former years ; and 
the offering of Judah shall be agreeable to the Lord, 
as in the days of old, and former years. 

"Our Father, our King! we have sinned before 
thee. 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 



27 



"Our Father, our King ! lo ! we have no Sove- 
reign but thee. 

"Our Father, our King ! O be kind unto us, for 
the sake of thy name. 

"Our Father, our King ! O renew a happy year 
for us. 

"Our Father, our King! O cause the annihila- 
tion of all severe decrees against us. 

"Our Father, our King! annul the devices of 
those who hate us. 

"Our Father, our King ! frustrate the counsel of 
our enemies. 

" Our Father, our King ! exterminate every op- 
pressor and adversary from afflicting us. 

"Our Father, our King ! close the mouths of our 
adversaries and accusers. 

"Our Father, our King! extirpate pestilence, 
sword, famine, captivity, destruction, (and the 
plague), from affecting the children of thy covenant. 

"Our Father, our King! withhold the plague 
from thine heritage. 

"Our Father, our King! pardon and forgive all 
our iniquities. 

"Our Father, our King ! blot out and put away 
our transgressions, and our sins from before thine 
eyes. 

"Our Father, our King! O, in thine abundant 
mercy, erase all records of our sins. 

"Our Father, our King ! restore us, by a perfect 
repentance, unto thy presence. 

" Our Father, our King ! O grant complete recovery 
to the sick of thy people. 



28 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 



"Our Father, our King ! rend the decree of our 
condemnation. 

" Our Father, our King! let us be marked by 
thee with kind remembrance. 

"O, our Father, our King ! inscribe us on the 
book of happy life. 

"O, our Father, our King! inscribe us in the 
book of redemption and salvation. 

"O, our Father, our King! inscribe us in the 
book of maintenance and sustenance. 

"O, our Father, our King! inscribe us in the 
book of merit. 

"Our Father, our King ! inscribe us in the book 
of pardon and forgiveness. 

"Our Father, our King! O cause salvation 
speedily to spring forth for us. 

"Our Father, our King! exalt the horn of thine 
anointed. 

"Our Father, our King! exalt the horn of thy 
people Israel. 

"Our Father, our King! fill our hands with thy 
blessings. 

" Our Father, our King ! fill our storehouses with 
plenty. 

"Our Father, our King! hear our voice; spare 
and compassionate us. 

"Our Father, our King! accept our prayers with 
mercy and favor. 

"Our Father, our King! open the gates of hea- 
ven to our prayers. 

"Our Father, our King ! O dismiss us not fruit- 
lessly from thy presence. 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 29 

"Our Father, our King! remember that we are 
but dust. 

"Our Father, our King! may this hour be one 
of mercy, and a time of favor in thy presence. 

" Our Father, our King ! have pity upon us, upon 
our children, and our infants. 

"Our Father, our King! grant our supplications 
for the sake of those who were martyrs for thy holy 
name. 

"Our Father, our King! O grant them for the 
sake of those who were slaughtered for the asser- 
tion of thy unity. 

" Our Father, our King! grant them for the sake 
of those who went through fire and water for the 
sanctification of thy name. 

"Our Father, our King! avenge in our sight the 
blood of thy servants which hath been spilt. 

"Our Father, our King! O grant them for thine 
own sake, if not for our's. 

"Our Father, our King! grant them for thine 
own sake, and save us. 

" Our Father, our King! grant them for the sake 
of thine abundant mercy. 

"Our Father, and our King! grant them for the 
sake of thy great, mighty, and tremendous name, 
by which we are denominated. 

"Our Father, and our King! be gracious unto us 
and answer us, although we have no merit : O deal 
charitably and mercifully with us, and save us." 

When the master of the house comes home from 
the synagogue, they are prepared for the festival sup- 
per. It is a custom which prevails among the Jews at 



30 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 



the present day, the same as in the days of our Lord, 
that no Jew will sit down to meals with unwashed 
hands. St. Mark vii. 1, 2, 3. — "Then came toge- 
ther unto him the Pharisees and certain of the 
Scribes, which came from Jerusalem ; and when 
they saw some of his disciples eat bread with denied, 
that is to say, with unwashed hands, they found 
fault ; for the Pharisees and all the Jews, except 
they wash their hands, oft eat not, holding the tra- 
dition of the elders." Having washed their hands 
they say this prayer: "Blessed art thou, O Lord, 
our God, King of the universe ! who hath sanctified 
us with thy commandments, and commanded us to 
wash our hands." Then they seat themselves 
round the table, and the master of the house says 
with an audible voice the sanctification for the new 
year. When the festival occurs on the sabbath, he 
begins thus, "On the sixth day the heavens and 
the earth were finished, and all their host. And on 
the seventh day God ended his work, which he had 
made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanc- 
tified it ; because thereon did God rest from all his 
works, which he had created and made." 

When the festival occurs on week days he begins 
with — 

"Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, King of the 
universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine ! 

" Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God; King of the 
universe ! who hast selected us from all people ; ex- 
alted us above all other nations ; and sanctified us 
with thy commandments. Thou, O Lord, our God ! 
hast in love appointed for us [on sabbath, say, this 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 31 

sabbath day, and] this day of the memorial : a day, 
(the memorial of sounding the horn — an holy con- 
vocation in love) , a memorial of the departure from 
Egypt ; for thou hast made choice of us, and sanc- 
tified us above all other people : thy word is truth 
and exists everlasting. Blessed art thou, O Lord ! 
the Sanctifier of [the sabbath and] Israel, and the 
day of memorial." 

If the festival occurs on Saturday night, the light 
is used, and the following blessing said : 

" Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God ; King of 
the universe ! who created the light of the fire. 

' ' Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God ; King of 
the universe ! who hast made a distinction between 
the holy and the profane — between light and dark- 
ness — between Israel and the nations — between the 
seventh day and the sixth days of the week — be- 
tween the sanctification of the sabbath, and the 
sanctification of the holidays, hast thou made a 
difference. And the seventh day from the six days 
of work, hast thou appointed as sacred ; and thou 
hast separated and sanctified thy people Israel with 
thy holy consecration. Blessed art thou, O Lord! 
who maketh a distinction between the sacred and 
profane. 

" Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God ; King of 
the universe ! who hast preserved our lives, sus- 
tained us, and brought us to the enjoyment of this 
season." 

After the sanctification is performed, the master 
of the house breaks bread; (which observe, must be 
bread that has not been cut), he cuts it into halves 



32 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 

and parts, distributes it in equal portions, not less 
than the size of an olive, to each of the family at 
table, and says a short prayer ; but particularly on 
the two nights of the new year : also a piece of 
sweet apple is dipt in honey, and given to each, 
when this blessing is pronounced, - ' Blessed art thou, 
O Lord, our God ; King of the universe ; Creator 
of the fruit of the tree !" And the following ejacu- 
lation is added, " Be it thy will, O Lord, our God, 
and the God of our ancestors ! to renew this year 
unto us with sweetness, like unto honey." 

After supper the following prayer is used, and 
termed Grace after meals. 

Psalm the cxxxvii. is first read ; but on the sab- 
bath and holidays Psalm the cxxvi. It is then 
the custom for the person who says grace, to begin 
thus : " Masters, we will say grace." Then the 
company answer, " Blessed be the name of the 
Lord, from henceforth and for evermore !" If there 
are ten or more present, he who says grace, begins 
with "We will bless our God, of whose gifts we 
have eaten." The others answer, " Blessed be our 
God, of whose gifts we have eaten, and through 
whose goodness we live." To which the first replies, 
"Blessed be our God of whose gifts we have eaten, 
and through whose goodness we live." If but three 
eat at one table, he who says the grace begins with, 
"We will bless Him of whose gifts we have eaten." 
The others answer, "Blessed be He of whose gifts we 
have eaten, and through whose goodness we live." 
To which the first replies, " Blessed be He of whose 
gifts we have eaten, and through whose goodness 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 33 

we live. Blessed is he and blessed his name." If 
but one or two persons are present they begin thus, 
"Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, King of the uni- 
verse ! thou art he who doth feed all the world with 
kindness ; with grace ; with favor ; and with mercy : 
who giveth food to every creature, and whose mercy 
endure th for ever; this, through his abundant good- 
ness, hath never failed us; nor will it ever fail us, 
even to eternity; because of his great name; for he 
is the God who feedeth and sustaineth all; who 
dealeth beneficently with all: and who provideth 
food for all the creatures he hath created. Blessed 
art thou, O Lord! who feedeth all. 

"We will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, our 
God ! that thou didst cause our ancestors to inherit 
that desirable good and ample land ; that thou 
didst bring us forth from the land of Egypt ; and 
didst redeem us from the house of bondage ; as well 
as for thy covenant which thou hast sealed in our 
flesh ; for the law which thou hast taught us, and 
for thy statutes which thou hast made known unto 
us : also for the life, kindness, and mercy, which 
thou hast graciously bestowed on us, and for the 
edible food wherewith thou dost continually feed 
and sustain us every day, at all times, and at all 
hours. 

"Verily, for all these things, O Lord, our God ! 
do we give thanks unto thee, and bless thee ; thy 
name shall be continually praised by the mouth of 
all living ; for ever and ever, according as it is writ- 
ten, ' When thou hast eaten, and art satisfied, then 
shalt thou bless the Lord, thy God ! for the good 

E 



34 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 



land which he hath given for thee.' Blessed art 
thou, O Lord! for the gift of the land, and for the 
food. 

"Have compassion, we beseech thee, O Lord, 
our God ! on thy people Israel ; on Jerusalem, thy 
city ; on Zion, the residence of thy glory ; on the 
kingdom of the house of David, thine anointed; 
and on the great and holy habitation which was 
consecrated to thy name. Our God, our Father ! 
0,'tend us, feed us, maintain, support and liberate 
us. Liberate us speedily, O Lord, our God! from 
all our troubles; and oblige us not, O Lord, our 
God ! to be dependent on gifts from flesh and blood ; 
nor on their loans; but only on thy full, open, holy, 
and extended hand, so that we may never be put 
to shame, nor ever be confounded." 

On the Sabbath, say: 

"Be pleased, O Lord, our God ! to felicitate us 
by the commandments, even in the commandment 
of the seventh day ; the great and holy sabbath : for 
this day is deemed great and holy in thy presence, 
whereon we are to rest an affectionate quiet, accord- 
ing to the command of thy will : grant, O Lord, our 
God ! that we be at ease ; that no trouble, sorrow, 
or affliction, affect us on the day of our rest. Per- 
mit us, O Lord, our God! to behold the conso- 
lation of Zion, thy city; and the rebuilding of Jeru- 
salem, thy holy city ; for yea, thou art the Lord of 
salvation, and the Lord of consolations !" 

On the new moon and festivals, say: 

"Our God, and the God of our Fathers! grant 
that our memorial, and our appointment — the me- 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 35 

morial of our fathers — the memorial of the Messiah, 
the son of David, thy servant — the memorial of Je- 
rusalem, thy holy city, and the memorial of all thy 
people the house of Israel; may arrive, ascend, ap- 
proach, be seen, accepted, heard, visited, and re- 
membered in thy presence, for our happy deliver- 
ance, with favor, grace and mercy, life and peace. 
[On the new moon, say :] on this first day of the 
month. [On passover, say:] on this day of the feast 
of unleavened bread. [On the feast of tabernacles, 
say:~] on this day of the feast of tabernacles. [On the 
eighth day of the feast, say:] be mindful of us 
thereon, O Lord, our God ! for our good; visit us 
thereon with a blessing; and save us thereon, to 
enjoy life; and according to thy word of salvation 
and mercy, have compassion, and be gracious unto 
us. O, have mercy upon us, and save us, for our 
eyes are constantly bent towards thee, O God ! 
who art a gracious and merciful King ! 

O, rebuild the holy city Jerusalem, speedily, 
even in our days. Blessed art thou, O Lord! the 
merciful rebuilder of Jerusalem. 

"Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God! — King of 
the universe — O God, our Father ! — King ! — our 
Strength ! — Creator ! — Redeemer ! — our sacred One ! 
— the sacred One of Jacob ! — our Pastor! — the Shep- 
herd of Israel ! — the beneficent King ! who dealeth 
benevolently with all: — the God who, day by day, 
hath ever evinced, doth still, and ever will evince, 
kindness unto us. He hath, he doth, and ever will 
deal bountifully with us ; granting us peace — favor 
- — mercy — enlargement — deliverance— prosperity — ■ 



36 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 

blessing — salvation — consolation — maintenance and 
sustenance — and of mercy — of life — of peace, and 
of happiness. O, may he never let us be in want! 

"May He who is most merciful, reign over us for 
ever, and ever. May He who is most merciful, ever 
be praised in heaven, and on earth. May He who 
is most merciful, be adored throughout all genera- 
tions ; be for ever glorified amidst us ; and be hon- 
ored amongst us to all eternity, and throughout 
all the world. May He who is most merciful, enable 
us to be respectably maintained. May He who is 
most merciful, break the yoke of captivity from 
off our necks, and lead us to our land upright. May 
He who is most merciful, send us abundant blessing 
in this house, and on this table on which we have 
eaten. May He who is most merciful, send unto 
us Elijah, the prophet, of blessed memory, who 
shall bring us the good tidings of salvation and 
consolation. May He who is most merciful, # bless 
my honored father, the master of this house ; and 
my honored mother, the mistress thereof; their 
household; their children, and all that belongs to 
them; us, and all belonging to us; even as our 
ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, were bles- 
sed with all and every good; thus also may He 
bless us altogether with a complete blessing; and 
let us say, Amen. 

"O may (his and) our merit be in heaven ad- 
judged to deserve a peaceful preservation, may we 
receive a blessing from the Lord, and justification 



* This form must be changed according to circumstances. 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 37 



from the God of our salvation ; and may we find 
grace and a favorable understanding in the sight of 
God and man." 

On the sabbath. 
"May He who is most merciful, cause us to 
inherit the day which is all sabbath, and rest of 
everlasting life." 

On the new moon. 

"May He who is most merciful, renew the month 
for us as a benefit, and as a blessing," 
On the festivals. 

"May He who is most merciful, cause us to 
inherit the day that is completely good." 

On the new-year's day. 

" May He who is most merciful, renew this year 
for us in happiness and blessings." 

On tabernacles. 

"May He who is most merciful, raise up for us 
the tabernacle of David, which is fallen. 

"May He who is most merciful, make us worthy 
to behold the days of the Messiah ; and of eternal 
life in the future state. May He who enhanceth the 
salvation of his King, and sheweth mercy to his 
anointed, to David and his seed, for ever. May He 
who maketh peace in his high heavens, grant peace 
unto us, and all Israel; and say ye, Amen. 

"Fear the Lord, ye his saints, for there is no 
want to those who fear him. The young Hons do 
lack and suffer hunger; but they who seek the 
Lord shall not want any good. Praise ye the Lord, 
for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever. 
Thou openest thine hand and satisfiest the desire of 



38 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 



every living thing. Blessed is the man who will 
trust in the Lord, and the Lord will be his trust. 
I have been young and now am old, yet have I not 
seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging 
bread. May the Lord give strength to his people, 
may the Lord bless his people with peace." 

In the morning of the day of the new year, the 
congregation assemble at six o'clock. The service 
generally lasts six hours. The forms and customs, 
I shall mention in their proper place; but this I 
must not omit to mention at the commencement of 
this work. I have already observed, that the ram's 
horn is blown in the synagogue morning and even- 
ing for eight and twenty days before new-year's 
day — generally after the service. At this period, 
there is no precise rule as to how many times it 
should be blown. 

On the new-year's day there are regular rules to 
be attended to for blowing the horn, as the congre- 
gation do not break their fast until the ceremony is 
over. If I were to state the whole ceremony on 
this point, it would tire my readers, and not edify 
them: although there is a great stress laid upon it 
by the Jews. It must be observed, that the females 
are not reckoned of the congregation for a token. 
In the synagogue, the males and females are apart : 
the males worship in the body of the synagogue ; 
and the females in the gallery, merely as spectators. 
In the gallery, there is a kind of lattice-work before 
them, which prevents them seeing the male congre- 
gation distinctly. Although they are not considered 
any part of the congregation, they are not forbid 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 39 

joining in prayers ; but with this injunction — their 
voice must not be heard in the synagogue. Many 
of the Christian world have gone so far as to say, 
that they have been given to understand, that it is 
an idea among the Jews, that a female has no soul, 
which is a mistaken notion. This I shall explain 
in its due place. If a female says her prayers, 
neither good nor harm will result from it. # But 
remember, although the Jewesses are exempted 
from the congregational prayers, it is not so with 
their forms and customs. It must be said, to the 
credit of the Jewesses, that in many respects they 
adhere more strictly to the forms and customs, than 
even the males. 

I will mention a circumstance that occurs like- 
wise on the morning of the new-year's day, which 
is called the feast of the trumpets. Numbers xxix. 
1. — "And in the seventh month, on the first day of 
the month, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye 
shall do no servile work : it is a day of blowing the 
trumpets unto you." And therefore immediately 
after the portion of the law and the prophets has 
been read, and the prayer said for the prosperity of 
the government under which they dwell, they blow 
the trumpet, which is made of a ram's horn, saying 
the following grace: "Blessed art thou, O Lord, 
our God; King of the universe! who hath sanctified 
us with his commandments, and commanded us to 
hear the sound of the trumpet. Blessed art thou, 
O Lord, our God; King of the universe! that he 



* This is the idea of the Rabbies. 



40 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 



hath let us live, and hath subsisted us, and hath let 
us arrive to this season." 

This also I mention for the information of my 
readers, and likewise to shew the strictness and the 
adherence of the Jewesses to the customs. It must 
be understood, that in all towns in this kingdom, 
London excepted, the synagogues will accommodate 
the resident Jews ; but the synagogues in London 
will not contain the tenth part of the females. 
Therefore, as the Jewesses dare not break their fast 
in the morning of the new-year's day, unless they 
hear the sound of the trumpet, it is customary 
in different parts of the towns where Jews reside in 
a large body, that many of them open their houses 
for the accommodation of the Jewesses. 

To those Jews who are able and thought worthy 
to blow the ram's horn, intimation is given, and in 
what place it is to be blown. No one, unless he is 
an eye-witness to the bustle of their going to the 
different places appointed for blowing the horn, 
can form an idea of it ; for every female above the 
age of twelve, becomes duty bound, to attend to 
hear the sound. For tradition requires the body of 
the Jews at large, to make use of a trumpet, made 
of a ram's horn; beseeching the Almighty to be 
propitious to them, in remembrance and through 
the merits of that great event, as mentioned in 
Numbers x. 10. — " Also in the day of the gladness, 
and in your solemn days, and in the beginning of 
your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over 
your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your 
peace offerings, that they may be to you for a 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 41 



memorial before your God: I am the Lord your 
God." Let it be observed, after the blowing of the 
trumpet in the synagogue, the congregation say, 
with a loud voice, the following verse, 4 'Happy is 
the people that knows the joyful sound! O Lord, 
in the light of thy countenance shall they walk!" 
Then commences the Liturgy, by praying and be- 
seeching the Almighty, that he would be pleased to 
have compassion on them, through his abundant 
mercies; and likewise on the sanctuary, and to 
build it quickly, and to make the glory thereof 
great, and to manifest the glory of his kingdom 
over us speedily ; and to gather our dispersions from 
among the heathens, and bring us together, from 
the sides of the earth, and to conduct us unto his 
city of Zion, with songs, and unto Jerusalem, the 
habitation of his sanctuary with everlasting joy; 
and there we will perform unto him the offerings of 
our duty; the continual sacrifices according to their 
order, and the additional sacrifices of this day of 
memorial, we will perform and offer before him in 
love ; according to that he hath written to us in his 
holy law, by the hand of his servant Moses, Numb, 
xxix. 1., saying, "And in the seventh month, on 
the first day of the month, ye shall have an holy 
convocation, ye shall do no servile work : it is a 
day of blowing the trumpets unto you. And ye shall 
offer a burnt offering for a sweet savour unto the 
Lord; one young bullock, one ram, and seven lambs, 
of the first year, without blemish : and their meat 
offering shall be of flour mingled with oil, three 
tenth deals for a bullock, and two tenth deals for a 

F 



42 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 



ram, and one tenth deal for one lamb, throughout 
the seven lambs : and one kid of the goats for a sin 
offering, to make an atonement for you : besides the 
burnt offering of the month, and his meat offering, 
and the daily burnt offering, and his meat offering, 
andtheir drink offering, according to their manner, for 
a sweet savour, a sacrifice madebyfire unto the Lord." 

The following portion of the Liturgy, which I 
have selected, I hope will be highly edifying to my 
readers. 

' 'Thou hast chosen us from all people; thou hast 
loved us, been pleased with us, and hast exalted 
us above all nations; sanctified us with thy com- 
mandments, and brought us near unto thy service, 
O, our King ! yea, even by thy great and holy 
name hast thou denominated us. 

"Then, O Lord! wilt thou alone reign over all 
thy works in Mount Zion, the residence of thy 
glory; and in Jerusalem, the city of thy sanctuary; 
as it is expressed Jn thy holy writ, ' The Lord 
reigneth for ever, even thy God, O Zion ! from 
generation to generation.' Hallelujah. 

"Holy art Thou, and awful is thy name; and 
there is no God besides thee; as it is written, 'And 
the Lord of hosts shall be exalted in judgment; and 
the holy God shall be sanctified through righteous- 
ness. ' Blessed art thou, O Lord ! holy King. 

"And this shall the righteous behold, and be 
glad; the upright exult, and the saints rejoice in 
song; iniquity close its mouth, and all wickedness 
vanish as smoke, for thou wilt remove the dominion 
of vice from the earth. 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 



43 



"But on account of our sins have we been exiled 
from our country, and conveyed from a distance 
from our own land; so that we are not able to go, 
appear, and worship before thee, or to perform our 
duties in the house of thy choice, even in that 
magnificent and holy house distinguished by thy 
name ; because of the power which has been stretched 
against thy sanctuary. May it be thy pleasure, O 
Lord, our God, and the God of our fathers, most 
merciful King ! to return unto us with thine abun- 
dant blessings, to compassionate us, and thy sanc- 
tuary; O rebuild it speedily, and exalt its glory. 
Our Father, our King ! O manifest the glory of 
thy kingdom over us speedily ; shine forth, and 
exalt thyself in the sight of all living; gather our 
dispersed from among the nations, and assemble 
our outcasts from the extremities of the earth ; con- 
duct us unto Zion, thy city, with joyful song, and 
unto Jerusalem, thy holy temple, with everlasting 
joy. And there in thy presence, will we prepare 
the offerings enjoined upon us; the daily offerings 
according to their order, and the additional sacri- 
fice of the day of memorial, will we also observe, 
and offer unto thee with due love, according as thou 
hast from thy glorious mouth, caused to be written 
for us in thy law by the hands of thy servant Moses. 

"It is incumbent upon us to praise the Lord of 
all ; to magnify the Creator of all beginning ; for 
he hath not made us like unto other nations and 
countries, nor disposed us in the manner of other 
families of the earth ; neither hath he appointed our 
portion like unto their's, nor our lot like all their 



44 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 

multitudes. For we bend the knee, worship, and 
make our acknowledgments to the presence of the 
supreme King of Kings ! the holy and blessed Being I 
He who stretched out the heavens, and laid the 
foundations of the earth; the throne of whose glory- 
is in the heavens above, and the residence of whose 
might is in the celestial heights. He is our God, 
and there is no other, our King is TRUTH, and 
there is none besides him ; as it is written in his 
law, 4 Know, therefore, this day, and reflect in 
thine heart, that the Lord He is God, in heaven 
above, and on the earth beneath: there is none else.' 

"We will, therefore, place our hope in the Lord, 
our God! speedily to behold thy glorious power, 
removing the abominations out of the earth, and 
causing all the idols to be utterly destroyed, that 
the universe may be established under the Almighty 
government; and all flesh may invoke thy name, 
and all the wicked of the earth turn unto thee ; then 
shall all the inhabitants of the world know and ac- 
knowledge that unto thee every knee must bow, and 
every tongue swear; before thee, O Lord, our God! 
shall they kneel and fall prostrate ; they shall ascribe 
honor to thy glorious name, and all shall take upon 
themselves the duties due to thy dominion; and 
thou wilt speedily reign over them for ever and 
ever. For the kingdom is thine, and in eternal 
glory wilt thou reign ; as it is written in thy law, 
'The Lord shall reign for ever !' And it is also ex- 
pressed, c And the Lord shall be King over all the 
earth, on that day will it be acknowledged that the 
Lord is One, and his name One !' And it is said, He 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTLVALS. 45 

hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he 
seen perverseness in Israel; the Lord his God is 
with him, and the shout of a King within him.' It 
is also said, 'And he was King in Tishurun, when 
the heads of the people and the tribes were gathered 
together.' And amongst thy holy words is it written, 
saying, 'For the kingdom is the Lord's, and He is 
Governor among the nations.' And it is also said, 
'The Lord reigneth, he is clothed with Majesty, 
the Lord is clothed with strength, wherewith he 
hath girded himself; and so arranged the universe, 
that it may not be unfixed.' And it is said, 'Lift 
up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye 
everlasting doors ! that the King of glory may 
come in. Who is the King of glory ? The Lord 
strong and mighty; the Lord mighty in battle. 
Lift up your heads, O ye gate^s ! even lift them up 
ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory 
shall come in. Who is the King of glory ? The 
Lord of hosts! He is the King of glory. Selah.' 
And by the hands of thy servants, the prophets, it 
is. written, saying, 'Thus saith the Lord, the King 
of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of Hosts, I 
am the first, and I am the last; and besides me, 
there is no God.' And it is said, 'And deliverers 
shall go up to Mount Zion to judge the Mount of 
Esau, and the Kingdom shall be the Lord's.' 

"It is thou who bearest in mind all the works of 
the universe, and visitest all original formations : 
in thy presence stand revealed all hidden things, 
and all the mass of primeval secrets : there is no 
forgetfulness before thy holy throne, nor any thing 



46 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 

secret from thine eyes ; thou recordest every transac- 
tion, and the view of all created beings is never 
concealed from thee — all is manifest and evident in 
thy presence, O Lord, our God! thou supervisor 
and inspector of all things, to the end of all gene- 
rations : whenever thou dost think fit to bring forth 
the decree and memorial for the visitation of every 
soul breathing; then dost thou bring to remem- 
brance a multitude of actions, and a multitude of 
creatures without limit. From the beginning hast 
thou made this known, and from aforetime hast 
thou revealed it, that on this day was the com- 
mencement of thy work — this the memorial of the 
first day of the creation : it is a statute unto Israel, 
an ordination of judgment of the God of Jacob. 
Thereon is the fate of the different countries 
decreed, which is to be visited with the sword, and 
which blessed with peace ; which afflicted with 
famine, and which enriched with plenty; yea, even 
thereon are all creatures also visited, to be marked 
for life or for death. Who is not visited on this 
day! when the memorial of all creation cometh 
before thee : the works of man and his appoint- 
ments ; the deeds and habits of man ; his thoughts 
and dexterous counsel ; nay, the very motive of his 
actions. Happy the man who is not forgetful of 
thee ; and the son of man who stedfastly believeth in 
thee ; for those who earnestly seek thee, shall never 
stumble, nor those who confide in thee never be 
ashamed ; yea, the memorial of all creation cometh 
before thee, and thou searchest all their actions. 
Thou didst likewise remember Noah with affection, 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 



47 



and didst visit him with salvation and mercy. And 
when thou didst bring the waters of the deluge to 
destroy all flesh, for their evil deeds, then did the 
reminiscence come before thee, O Lord, our God ! 
that his seed should be multiplied as the dust of the 
earth, and his offspring as the sand of the sea ; as it is 
written in thy law, ' And God remembered Noah and 
every living creature, and all the cattle that was with 
him in the ark, and God caused a wind to pass over 
the earth, and the waters were assuaged.' It is like- 
wise said, 'And God heard their groaning, and God 
remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac 
and Jacob.' It is also said, c And I will remember 
my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with 
Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham, will I 
remember, and the land will I also remember.' And 
in thy holy word is it written, saying, • He hath 
instituted a memorial of his wonderful works ; the 
Lord is gracious and full of compassion.' And it is 
said, ' He hath given food to those who fear him ; 
he will for ever remember his covenant.' It is also 
said, ' And he remembered unto them his covenant, 
and repented according to his manifold mercies.' 
And by the hands of thy servants the prophets it is 
written, saying, 4 Go and proclaim in the ears of 
Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the Lord, I remember 
the gracefulness of thy youth, the love of thine 
espousals, when thou didst follow me in the wilder- 
ness, through an uncultivated land.' It is likewise 
said, ' And I will remember my covenant with thee - 
in the days of thy youth, and I will establish an 
everlasting covenant with thee.' It is also said, ' Is 



48 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 



not Ephraim my precious son? Is he not my darl- 
ing child? yea, whenever I speak of him, I do 
fondly remember him still ; therefore are my bowels 
troubled for him. I will surely have mercy upon 
him, saith the Lord.' 

"Our God, and the God of our fathers! O re- 
member us with kind remembrance before thee, and 
visit us from the ancient heaven of heavens, with 
the visitation of salvation and mercy: remember 
for us, O Lord, our God! the covenant, the mercy, 
and the oath, which thou didst swear unto Abraham 
our ancestor, on Mount Moriah • and may his ready 
ligation of his son Isaac upon the altar, when he 
suppressed his tender feelings, to perform thy will 
with an upright heart, be present to thy sight. 
Thus likewise do we beseech thee to let thy tender 
mercy suppress thy wrath, and in thy great good- 
ness, to turn away the heat of thine anger from thy 
people, thy city, and thine inheritance, and confirm 
unto us, O Lord, our God! that of which thou hast 
assured us of in thy law, by the hands of thy ser- 
vant Moses; as it is said, 'And I will remember 
for them the covenant, with their early ancestors, 
whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt, in 
the sight of the nations, that I might be their God; 
I am the Lord.' For thou art he who from all 
eternity dost remember all forgotten things, and 
there is no oblivion before the throne of thy glory; 
yea, the ligation of Isaac wilt thou also this day 
remember in mercy, for his posterity. Blessed art 
thou, O Lord, who remembereth the covenant. 

"Thou wast revealed amidst thy cloud of glory 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 49 

unto thy consecrated people, and didst deign to 
speak with them; from heaven didst thou cause 
them to hear thy voice, and amidst ethereal clouds 
wast thou revealed unto them: the whole universe 
was agitated by thy presence, and all creatures of 
the creation trembled because of thee. When on 
Mount Sinai, thou, our King, didst reveal thyself, 
to teach the law and precepts unto thy people ; and 
didst cause them, from amidst flames of fire, to 
hear the Majesty of thy voice, and thy holy words; 
with thunder and lightning didst thou reveal thyself 
unto them. And by the sound of the trumpet, didst 
thou shed thy glory upon them; as it is written in 
thy law: 4 And it came to pass on the third day, at 
day break, there was thundering and lightning, and 
a thick cloud upon the mount, and the trumpet 
was exceeding loud, and all the people in the camp 
trembled,' It is also said, 'And the sound of the 
trumpet waxed exceeding loud, Moses spake, and 
God answered him with a loud voice.' It is like- 
wise said, 'And the people perceived the thunder 
and lightning, and the sound of the trumpet, and 
the mountain smoking ; and when the people saw it, 
they were moved, and stood afar off.' And in thy 
holy word is it written, saying: 'God ascends 
amidst triumphant shouting! the Lord amidst the 
sounding of the cornet!' And it is said, 'With 
trumpets, and the sound of the cornet, shout ye 
joyfully before the Lord the King.' It is also said, 
* Blow the trumpet on the new moon, on the day of 
our solemn feast, for this is a statute for Israel, 
and an ordinance of the God of Jacob !' And it is 



50 FORMS , CUSTOMS AND MANNERS 

said, 'Praise ye the Lord! — praise God in his sanc- 
tuary ! — praise Him for his extensive power ! — praise 
Him for his mighty deeds! — praise Him according 
to his great excellence ! — praise Him with the sound 
of the trumpet ! — praise Him with the psaltery and 
harp! — praise Him with the timbrel and flute!— 
praise Him with melodious instruments, and organs! 
— praise Him with harmonious symbols !- — praise 
Him with high-sounding symbols ! — Every breathing 
creature will praise the Lord! Hallelujah.' And by 
thy servants, the prophets, is it written: 'All ye 
who inhabit the world, and that dwell on the earth, 
when the standard is lifted up on the mountains, 
ye shall behold it; and when the trumpet is sounded, 
ye shall hear it.' And it is said, 'And it shall 
come to pass on that day, the great trumpet shall 
be sounded, and those shall come who are lost 
amidst the land of Assyria, and dispersed in the 
land of Egypt ; and they shall worship the Lord in 
the holy mountain in Jerusalem.' It is also said, 
'And the Lord shall be visible over them, and his 
arrows shall go forth in lightning; and the Lord 
God will blow the trumpet, and walk amidst the 
whirlwinds of the south ! The Lord of hosts will 
shield them.' O thus also, mayest thou shield thy 
people Israel with peace. 

Our God, and the God of our ancestors ! O sound 
the great trumpet for our liberation ; lift up the 
banner to collect our banished people; gather our 
dispersed from among the nations, and assemble 
our outcasts from the extremities of the earth; con- 
duct us unto Zion, thy city, with joyful song, and 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 



51 



unto Jerusalem, thy holy temple, with everlasting 
joy; and there, in thy presence, will we prepare 
the offerings enjoined upon us, according as thou hast 
from thy glorious mouth caused to be written for 
us in thy law, by the hand of thy servant, Moses — 
Numb. x. 10. 'And on the days of your gladness, 
and on your solemn festivals, and on the new moon, 
ye shall blow with the trumpets, by your burnt 
offerings, and by the sacrifices of your peace offer- 
ings, that they may be a memorial for you before 
your God; I am thq Lord, your God ! For thou 
dost deign to hear the sound of the cornet, and art 
attentive to the joyful shout; lo! there is none that 
can be compared unto thee ; blessed art thou, Lord ! 
who with mercy doth attend to the sound of the joy- 
ful shouting of thy people Israel.' 

"O, grant peace, happiness, and blessings; grace, 
favors, and mercy, unto us, and unto all thy people 
Israel; bless us, even all of us together, O, our 
Father ! with the light of thy countenance ; for by 
the light of thy countenance, hast thou given us, O 
Lord, our God ! the law of life, gracious love, 
righteousness, blessing, mercy, life, and peace; and 
may it please thee to bless thy people Israel at all 
times, and at all seasons, with thy peace." 

On the morning of the second day of the feast, 
they go to synagogue at the same hour as on the 
first day; and after saying nearly the same prayer 
as the day before, they take forth the law, and read 
a portion, which is from the first verse of the twenty- 
second chapter of Genesis, to the end, which 
treats of Abraham offering his son Isaac; and of 



52 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 



God blessing him and his seed for ever ; and in his 
seed all nations of the earth should be blessed. 
And as this great event happened on this day, (as 
our received traditions inform us) , we therefore read 
the portion that makes mention thereof; praying 
and beseeching the Almighty in remembrance, and 
through the merits of that great and memorable 
event, to be propitious unto and bless us, who are 
the seed which God had promised Abraham, to 
bless, and multiply: and which portion is read to 
five persons, called to the law for that purpose. 
They then read the Mophter, the same as on the 
previous day. [The ceremony of reading the law, 
or the Pentateuch, and calling up individuals from 
the congregation, &c, which I shall treat more fully 
hereafter ; for any person, except a Jew, if even 
they were an eye-witness of their proceedings of 
buying and selling the law, they would be totally 
in the dark]. The portion from the prophets is 
from the second verse of the thirty-first chapter of 
Jeremiah, to the end of the twentieth verse of the 
same. They then say the prayer for the prosperity 
of the government under which they dwell : and 
afterwards blow the trumpet, the same as on the 
first day, saving, the same grace before and the 
verse after it. # 

In the afternoon they go to synagogue, when the 
service is, in all respects, the same as on the first 
day. 

* If the first or second day happens on the sabbath, they do not blow 
the trumpet, as they reckon it labor, being forbid to do any servile work 

on the sabbath 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 53 

These are two days of holy convocation, in which 
no servile work is to be done. "And in the seventh 
month, on the first day of the month, ye shall 
have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile 
work." Therefore, those days are observed with 
the utmost solemnity, chiefly in prayers and suppli- 
cations to the Almighty; not doing any manner of 
work, except what relates to the lighting, or touch- 
ing fire, or dressing their victuals for the festival, 
which may lawfully be done. 

In the evening they also go to synagogue. The 
service is the same as on any other of the common 
days of the week; and which concludes the festival. 

The days between the new-year's day, and the 
day of expiation, are reckoned the ten days of repen- 
tance. If ever a Jew's heart is lifted up to his God, 
with the intention of doing good, it is then. It 
must be here remembered, that a Jew is taught to 
believe, that his soul will be saved by his own 
works, and prepared to enter into heaven. # They 
consider that there are only three steps to heaven, 
repentance — prayer — and charity; for it is believed 
among the Jews, by being employed those ten days 
in doing good, even if God has decreed that a Jew 
shall die the following year, and as God sits high 
in heaven, and looks low on the earth, he may alter 
the sentence at the day of atonement, and grant a 
reprieve. 

There is no nation under the canopy of heaven, 

* A Jew firmly believes that hereafter Jerusalem will be his abiding 
place for ever. 



54 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 

wherein more brotherly love is shewn, than . there is 
among the Jews. For instance, it is a rare occur- 
rence to find Jews begging, or being inmates of a 
workhouse ; for the bounty of the more opulent Jews 
provide for their brethren in distress. Here I must 
remark, that the Jews are very tenacious of giving 
alms, and the tenth part of their earnings. If it 
so happens, that a Jew receives a legacy, or a prize 
in the lottery, (to the latter I have myself been 
witness of some gaining high prizes), so particular, 
and conscious are they in their own idea, that if 
they should gain a prize of a thousand pounds, and 
not give a tenth part of it away, they would con- 
sider the money a curse to them instead of a 
blessing. 

The day previous to the day of expiation, the 
more self-righteous Jews provide a fowl, but it must 
be a cock, which they send to an inferior Rabbi to 
be slain ; (in the same manner as birds and animals 
are slain by persons appointed, of which I shall 
explain more fully hereafter) . After it is slain, the 
person whose property it is, takes the fowl by the legs, 
and with uplifted hands, swings it nine times over 
their heads, and at the same time prays to God 
that the sins they have been guilty of during the 
year, may enter into the fowl. They then take the 
fowl and give it to the poor to eat, with a donation 
according to their capacity. When I followed the 
Jewish customs, I was very tenacious myself in 
having a fowl slain : in so doing I thought I was 
justified. 

Herewith I shall give a brief account in what 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 55 

manner this great day is solemnized at the present 
time. As they have no High Priest to officiate, nor 
any temple to sacrifice in, their strictness and 
solemnity no tongue can express. If all the sky 
were parchment, and all the sea were ink, and all the 
quills were made into pens, I could not sufficiently 
explain their customs. 

On the ninth day preceding the day of atone- 
ment, one horn' before synagogue service, they par- 
take of a sumptuous feast, which they call taking 
their fast ; after which they go to synagogue. In 
the great synagogue in London, the clerk stands up 
in the midst, where a large stage is erected for the 
accommodation of the singers, who chaunt the 
customary prayers, &c. 

The clerk offers up a blessing, and afterwards the 
free-gift offering. Every man, according to his 
capacity, (which is not compulsory), gives a sum, 
which is offered up, and inserted in a book kept for 
that purpose. It is also customary every half year 
to pay the synagogue dues. 

The donations which are offered up, are for the 
purpose of paying the current expenses for candles 
that are consumed yearly in the synagogues. It 
must be observed, they burn pure wax, as they 
imagine tallow would defile the place. It must be 
an eye-witness to calculate the expenses for the 
profusion of light, before they could give their 
judgment. I have been told, which I believe cor- 
rect, that the expenses of lighting only, amount to 
upwards of an hundred yearly. It generally takes 
nearly one hour in offering up these donations. 



56 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 

The body of the Jews endeavor, as far as lies in 
their power, to provide themselves with the best 
apparel, particularly on this occasion; as they say 
they appear before the King of Kings ! to have their 
final doom settled upon them. Then begins the 
evening prayer of the fast. I must not omit men- 
tioning, that the sight in the synagogue is most 
awful and grand in the extreme, to see the reader 
and the chief Rabbi, and a great many of the con- 
gregation in prayer and supplications upwards of 
three hours, clad with a shroud in which they are 
to be buried. It is not uncommon for some to have 
their shrouds twenty or thirty years by them. There 
are many who will stand upon one spot from the 
ninth day at even, until the tenth day at even; and 
when the service is ended on the ninth eve, those 
who return home to their dwellings come again in 
the morning to the synagogue at five o'clock, and 
continue until dark, observing the following order : 

First is said the morning prayers, which com- 
mences as soon as they come to the synagogue. 
After saying the usual prayers and supplications, 
peculiar to the day, they then take forth the law, 
and read the portion, which is from the first verse 
of the sixteenth chapter of Leviticus to the end of the 
last verse of the same. The Mophter is from the 
seventh verse of the twenty-ninth chapter of Num- 
bers to the end of the eleventh verse of the same. 
The portion from the prophets is from the fourteenth 
verse of the fifty-seventh chapter of the prophet 
Isaiah to the end of the last verse of the fifty-eighth 
chapter. — They then say the prayer for the pros- 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 57 

perity of the government under which they dwell: 
and then put the law into the ark again ; which ends 
the morning prayer, after having lasted near six 
hours, without intermission. 

Then they say the prayer of the Musoph, i. e. the 
addition, which makes mention of the additional 
sacrifice of the day: Numb. xxix. 7, and suppli- 
cating the Almighty to be propitious unto them, 
and praying therein as follows: "Be graciously 
pleased O Lord, our God, and the God of our 
fathers ! most merciful King ! again to have com- 
passion upon us, and upon our sanctuary, through 
thine abundant mercy, and speedily to build it, and 
magnify thy glory. Our Father, and our King! dis- 
cover thy glorious majesty unto us speedily, and 
shine forth and be exalted to the eyes of all living ; 
and gather our dispersions from among the Gentiles ; 
and assemble our scattered from the extreme parts 
of the earth; and conduct us unto Zion, thy city, 
with songs; and unto Jerusalem, the city of thy 
sanctuary, with everlasting joy: that we may there 
perform, in thy presence, the offering of our duty, 
the continual sacrifices, according to their order ; 
and the additional sacrifices, according to their in- 
stitution ; and the additional sacrifices of this day of 
atonement, that we perform and offer before thee 
in love — according to the statutes of thy good will : 
according to what thou hast written unto us in thy 
law, by the hand of Moses, thy servant." Then they 
say the offering of the day, from Numb. xxix. 7. 
to the end of the eleventh verse of the same; after 
which they say, "Our God, and the God of our 

H 



58 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 

fathers ! forgive us our tresspasses this day of atone- 
ment; blot out, and obliterate our transgressions 
from before thine eyes ; as it is said : ' I, even I am He 
that blotteth out thy trangre-ssions ; and as a cloud 
thy sins, return unto me, for I have redeemed thee 
and it is said, "For on that day shall he make an 
atonement for you; to cleanse you, that you 
maybe clean from all your sins before the Lord; 
sanctify us with thy commandments, and give us 
our share in thy law; satisfy us with thy goodness, 
and let us rejoice in thy salvation; and purify our 
hearts to serve thee with truth, for thou art a for- 
giver unto Israel, and a pardoner of the tribes of 
Jeshurun, throughout all generations; and besides 
Thee, there is not unto us a King, that pardoneth 
and forgiveth but Thee. Blessed art thou, O Lord, 
universal King ! who pardonest and forgives t our 
sins, and the sins of thy people Israel, and obliter- 
atest our guilt year after year; King over all the 
earth; Sanctifier of the day of atonement." 

As I wish for the world at large, to be acquainted 
with the strictness of the Jews ; and likewise, for the 
sake of information, I wish it to be understood, that 
a fast day among the Jews, is not merely abstaining 
from animal food, &c. but quite the contrary, for 
they abstain from food altogether; for every male, 
above thirteen years, and female, above fourteen, 
strictly adhere to it; for I venture to say, taking 
the body of the Jews at large, there is not one out 
of a thousand, upon an average, that transgresses 
upon this point. A woman, in her confinement, 
after three days giving birth, must likewise abstain 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 59 

from all food, except the doctor should state it to 
be dangerous so to do. 

At the conclusion of this great day of atonement, 
(which lasts always till night), the service, and like- 
wise the fast, is ended, after having continued in 
prayers from morning till night, for upwards of 
twelve hours, without intermission. 

After they have come from the synagogue, before 
they break their fast, they say the following prayer. 

The prayer for the new moon. 

" Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, King of the 
universe! who, with his word, created the heavens, 
and with His breath, all the host thereof ; a statute 
and a time he gave unto them, that they should not 
vary from their orders ; they are glad, and they re- 
joice to obey the will of their Maker; the Maker is 
true, and all his works are true: and to the moon 
He said, ' that she shall monthly renew her crown 
of beauty towards those who are the fruit of the 
womb ; for they hereafter shall be renewed like unto 
her, to praise their Creator for the glory of his 
name and kingdom. Blessed art thou, O Lord ! 
the renewer of the months/ Then they say, three 
times, 'Blessed is the former— blessed is thv Maker 
— blessed is thy possessor — blessed is thy Creator.' 
Then they say, three times, ' as we jump towards 
Thee, and yet cannot reach to touch thee, so shall 
none of mine enemies be able to touch me to harm. 5 
Then they say, three times, ' Fear and dread shall fall 
upon them; by the greatness of thine arm, they 



60 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 



shall become still as a stone; as a stone they shall 
become still ; and by the greatness of thine arm, 
dread and fear on them shall fall. David, King of 
Israel liveth and subsisteth.' Then they say to 
each other, 'Peace be unto you,' and they answer, 
'unto you be peace.' 

"The voice of my beloved; behold he cometh 
leaping upon the mountains ; skipping upon the 
hills. My beloved is like a roe, or a young hart; 
behold he standeth behind our wall: he looketh 
forth at the windows, shewing himself through the 
lattice." 

It was taught in the school of Rabbi Ismael, that 
had the Israelites only been allowed thus to reverence 
the Divine presence of their Father, who is in 
heaven, but once a month, it might suffice them. 
Abaya saith, therefore it is necessary to be said, in 
an erect posture, "Who is this coming from the 
wilderness, leaning on her beloved." 

"May it be thy pleasure, O God, and the God 
of our Fathers ! to continue to fill up the deficiencies 
of the moon ; and that the light of the moon be as 
the light of the sun; as her light was during the 
first six days of the creation, before her diminution; 
as it is said, 'the two great lights.' O may the 
verse be fulfilled, "And they will seek the Lord, 
their God ! and David their King.' " Amen. 

The time of praying for the new moon. 

They stand in groups of forty and fifty in num- 
ber, and one in the midst of them, with a lighted 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 61 

candle in his hand, that those who surround him 
may be able to see to read their prayers, for it is 
not generally the case that all know them by wrote. 
It is surprising to see with what earnestness they 
bow and leap towards the moon. I pray that the 
time may speedily come, when my brethren the 
Jews according to the flesh, will bow to Christ, who 
is the Author and Finisher of our faith. 

Herewith I have selected some of the prayers 
and supplications applicable to the day of atone- 
ment, and which, in my opinion will prove most 
interesting and instructive to my readers. 

A blessing said for the Royal Family, which is chaunted 
after the portion of scriptures are read, the roll is 
taken in the arms of the reader, and with a loud 
voice, says: 

"May He who dispenseth salvation unto kings, 
and dominion unto princes, whose kingdom is the 
kingdom of the whole universe; who delivered his 
servant David from the sword of destruction; who 
maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty 
waters; may he bless, preserve, guard, assist, aggran- 
dize, and elevate to the highest degree our Most 
Gracious Sovereign Lord KING WILLIAM; exalt 
our Gracious Queen ADELAIDE, and all the Royal 
Family. May the supreme King of kings, through 
his mercies, grant him life, preserve him from all 
sorrow and grief, and save him from all danger; 
subdue nations under his feet; cast his enemies 
down before him; and cause him to be successful 



62 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 

whereunto soever he may tend. May the supreme 
King of kings in his mercy inspire his heart, and 
those of his counsellors and nobles with benevo- 
lence towards us and all Israel. In his days and 
ours may Judah be saved, Israel dwell in comfort, 
and the Redeemer come unto Zion : O may such be 
the divine will ! and say ye, Amen.* 

"We make our acknowledgments unto thee, for 
thou art the Lord our God! and the God of our 
ancestors, for evermore: the rock of our life, and 
the shield of our salvation art thou during all gene- 
rations. We will render thanks unto thee, and 
declare thy praise for our lives, which are at the 
disposal of thine hand: for our individual souls, 
which are in thy care: for thy miracles, which we 
daily experience : and for thy wonders and kind- 
nesses, which at all times, at morn, noon, and eve 
are dispensed unto us. Thou art good, for thy com- 
passion never fails ; and thou art merciful, for thy 
kindness never ceases; evermore do we put our 
trust in thee. 

"In the book of life, blessing, peace, and happy 
maintenance, O let us and all the house of Israel be 
by thee remembered, so as to be inscribed for the 
enjoyment of a peaceful and happy life. Blessed 
art thou, O Lord ! who maketh peace. 

" Our God, and the God of our ancestors ! O per- 
mit our prayers to come before thee, and withdraw 
not thyself from our supplications; for verily we 

* Under every government where the Jews reside, they always offer up 
this prayer for their welfare and prosperity. 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 63 



are not so bold-faced and stiff-necked, as in thy pre- 
sence, O Lord, our God, and the God of our fathers ! 
to say, that we are righteous and have not sinned ; for 
alas ! we are those who have sinned. 

"Alas ! we have trespassed, we have been treach- 
erous, we have stolen, we have spoken slander, we 
have committed iniquity, and have acted wickedly; 
we have sinned designedly; we have committed 
violence ; we have framed falsehood ; we have given 
evil counsel ; we have uttered lies ; we have scorned ; 
we have been rebellious ; we have acted provokingly ; 
we have revolted; we have acted perversely; we 
have transgressed; we have oppressed; we have 
been stiff-necked ; we have acted wickedly ; we have 
corrupted ourselves ; we have acted abominably ; we 
have gone astray; we have caused others to err; 
we have turned aside from thy excellent precepts 
and institutions ; and have disregarded their value. 
Verily thou art righteous in all that is come upon 
us ; for thou hast dealt truly, but we have acted 
wickedly. 

"What shall we say in thy presence, O Thou 
who dwellest on high ! what shall we declare unto 
thee, who resideth above the skies; for verily all the 
secret, as well as all the revealed things, dost thou 
know ! 

"All the secrets of the world dost thou know; 
yea, the most hidden transactions of all living ; thou 
searchest all the inward parts, and examinest the 
reins and the heart ; nothing is concealed from thee, 
neither is any thing hidden from thy sight ; O may 
it then be acceptable in thy presence, O Lord, our 



64 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 



God, and the God of our fathers ! to pardon all our 
sins, to forgive all our iniquities, and to grant us 
remission for all our transgressions. 

"For the sin which we have committed in thy 
presence, whether involuntarily or voluntarily ; also 
for the sin which we have committed in thy presence 
in stubbornness of heart. 

" For the sin which we have committed in thy pre- 
sence unwittingly; also for the sin which we have 
committed in thy presence by the utterance of our 
lips. 

"For the sin which we have committed in thy 
presence by incestuous lewdness ; also for the sin 
which we have committed in thy presence, either 
publicly or privately. 

"For the sin which we have committed against 
thee deliberately or deceitfully; also for the sin which 
we have committed in thy presence by expressions 
of the mouth. 

"For the sin which we have committed in thy 
presence by deceiving our neighbours ; also the sin 
which we have committed in thy presence by the 
evil cogitation of the heart. 

"For the sin which we have committed in thy 
presence by lewd assemblage ; also for the sin which 
we have committed in thy presence by the hypo- 
critical confession of sin. 

"For the sin which we have committed in thy 
presence by despising our parents and teachers ; 
also for the sin which we have committed in thy 
presence, whether presumptuously or accidentally. 

"For the sin which we have committed in thy 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 65 



presence by violence ; also for the sin which we 
have committed in thy presence by the profanation 
of thy name. 

" For the sin which we have committed in thy 
presence with defiled lips ; also for the sin which 
we have committed in thy presence by foolish ex- 
pressions. 

/'For the sin which we have committed in thy 
presence by evil passions ; also for the sin which we 
have committed in thy presence, with or without 
the knowledge of others. 

"And for all of these, thou God of pardon! par- 
don us! forgive us! grant us remission! 

' 'For the sin which we have committed in thy 
presence by lying and falsehood ; also for the sin 
which we have committed in thy presence by 
bribery. 

"For the sin which we have committed in thy 
presence by sconing ; and also for the sin which we 
have committed in thy presence by calumny. 

"For the sin which we have committed in thy 
presence in the management of trades ; also for the 
sin which we have committed in thy presence by 
the use of forbidden meats and drink. 

"For the sin which we have committed in thy 
presence by extortion and usury; also for the sin 
which we have committed against thee by the 
stretched forth neck of pride. 

"For the sin which we have committed in thy 
presence by chattering lips ; also for the sin which 
we have committed in thy presence by a leering eye. 

"For the sin which we have committed in thy 
i 



66 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 



presence by haughty looks ; also for the sin which 
we have committed in thy presence by an impru- 
dent countenance. 

"And for all these, thou God of pardon! pardon 
us! forgive us! grant us remission! 

"For the sin which we have committed in thy 
presence, by casting off the yoke of the law; also 
for the sin which we have committed in thy pre- 
sence by litigiousness. 

"For the sin which we have committed in thy 
presence by treachery to our neighbour ; also for 
the sin which we have committed in thy presence 
by an envious eye. 

"For the sin which we have committed in thy 
presence by levity ; also for the sin which we have 
committed in thy presence by stubbornness. 

"For the sin which we have committed in thy 
presence by running to commit wickedness; also 
for the sin we have committed in thy presence by 
tale bearing. 

"For the sin which we have committed in thy 
presence by false swearing ; also for the sin which we 
have committed in thy presence by causeless enmity. 

"For the sin which we have committed in thy 
presence by embezzlement; also for the sin which 
we have committed in thy presence in confused ex- 
tacy of the heart. 

''And for all these, thou God of pardon! pardon 
us ! grant us remission ! 

"Also for the sins for which we are enjoined to 
bring a burnt offering; also for the sins for which 
we are enjoined to bring a sin offering. 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 67 

"Also for the sins for which we are enjoined to 
bring an offering according to our ability. 

"Also for the sins for which we are enjoined to 
bring a tresspass offering, either for a certain or 
a doubtful sin. 

"Also for the sins for which we are enjoined to 
suffer the stripes for contumacy. 

"Also for the sins for which we are enjoined to 
suffer the forty flagellations. 

"Also for the sins for which we are enjoined to 
incur the penalty of death by the hand of God. 

"Also for the sins for which we are enjoined to 
incur the penalty of extirpation, and being childless. 

" And for all these, thou God of pardon! pardon 
us! forgive us! grant us remission! 

"And for the sins for which we are enjoined to 
incur the penalty of the four kinds of death, as in- 
flicted by our tribunal of justice, ws. stoning, burning, 
beheading, and strangling; for the trangression of 
precepts, affirmative, or precepts negative; whether 
the acts attached thereto be or be not expressed; as 
well as for those of which we are conscious, as 
those of which we are unconscious. Lo ! we have al- 
ready made confession before Thee of those which 
are known to us ; and of these which are unknown 
to us ; yea, even they are known and evident before 
Thee. And it is said, 'The secret things belong 
unto the Lord, our God! but the revealed things 
belong unto us, and our posterity, for ever, to per- 
form all the words of this law :' yea, it is Thou who 
art the Pardoner of Israel, and Remitter of sins, 
unto the tribes of Jeshurun in all ages ; and besides 



68 FORMS, CUSTOMS AND MANNERS 

Thee we have no King who doth pardon and 
forgive; yea, no one but Thee. 

"O my God! before I was formed, I was un- 
worthy; and now that I have been formed, I am no 
better than if I had not been formed; dust am I in 
my life time, how much more at my decease — be- 
hold me before Thee as a vessel full of shame and 
confusion. O may it be thy pleasure, O Lord, my 
God! and the God of my fathers! that I sin no 
more ; O blot out, through thy great mercies, the 
sins which I have already committed against Thee; 
yet not by means of severe chastisement, or malig- 
nant sickness." 

On the fifteenth day of the same month, is the 
feast of tabernacles, called in scripture, Booths, 
Levit. xxiii. 39. "And also in the fifteenth day of 
the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the 
fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the 
Lord seven days : on the first day shall be a sabbath, 
and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath." And 
further it says, (verse 42), " Ye shall dwell in booths 
seven days ; all that are Israelites born, shall dwell 
in booths;" and therefore, those intermediate days 
which are between the day of expiation and the 
feast, are employed in erecting and ornamenting 
their tabernacles for booths. For every Jew, who has 
but the conveniency of a yard, or garden, is, from 
the beforementioned texts, obliged to have one. 

It is incumbent on every Jew, if he has it in his 
power, to erect a tabernacle, and particularly if he 
has a conveniency; as it is attended with expense, 
and as the Talmud law says, that every Jew, once 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 69 

at least, during the eight days, must attend to say 
a prayer; therefore, the opulent Jews think it a 
pleasure to accommodate those that have no taber- 
nacle. It happens that some have it in their power 
to bear the expenses of erecting one, and may not 
have the conveniences so to do; and others may 
have the conveniency, and not have it in their 
power to erect one. It must be understood that 
most of the expenses consist in the ornamenting of it 
with flowers, &c. It is a most pleasant sight to behold. 

As those tabernacles must be erected in a yard 
or a garden, and if they have not got that conve- 
niency, they erect it sometimes on the house top. 
It is, at most, a slight erection, and as it is only 
for eight days, this is the form in which they are 
erected. At least it must be eight feet high, and ten 
feet square. The whole is erected with boards. The 
top is made on this wise : they lath it generally the 
same as a house, before the tiling is put on, and 
then cover it with all kinds of ornamental shrubs. 
The ceiling on the inside is hung with all kinds 
of fruit; such as pumpkins," apples, and pears, 
partly gilded, which has a grand aspect. During the 
eight days, they partake of all their meals in their 
respective tabernacles : there every thing is prepared 
in proper order. The first night, the master of the 
family takes a glass of wine in his right hand, and 
says the Kedush, i. e. the sanctification ; the same 
as on the first night of the passover, only instead 
of saying, (this day of the feast of unleavened bread, 
the time of our redemption), they say, "this day of 
the feast of tabernacles, the time of our rejoicing." 



70 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 



After they have said the sanctification, they say 
the following grace: ''Blessed art thou, O Lord, 
our God, King of the universe ! who hath sanctified 
us with his commandments, and commanded us to 
dwell in a tabernacle. "* 

In the morning they go to the synagogue at the 
same hour as on the sabbath, where, after saying the 
prayers for the festival, they take the citron — a 
branch of the palm tree — myrtles, and willow of the 
brook ; these being fastened to the branch of the 
palm tree, they take it in their right hand, and the 
citron in their left, saying the following grace: 
"Blessed art thou, O Lord, our King, King of the 
universe ! who hath sanctified us with his com- 
mandments, and commanded us to take the palm 
branch." 

"Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, King of 
the universe ! that He hath let us live, and hath 
subsisted us, and hath let us arrive to the present 
season."f 

Another singular practice is worthy of being re- 
corded, as illustrative of precise attention to what 
is regarded as the duty of consideration for the 

* This grace they are obliged to say at every meal, during the seven 
days of the feast of tabernacle ; for they are obliged to consider their 
tabernacle as their principal dwelling during the feast, except in case that 
it should rain in upon them, (for it being covered with nothing but 
boughs, the rain will easily penetrate), in that case they are exempted 
therefrom. 

f If this day happens to be on the Sabbath, they do not make use of 
the citron, palm tree, &c. because as they may not carry any thing on the 
sabbath, they would, by bringing those things to the synagogue profane 
the sabbath. 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 71 

poor ; and of a generous expenditure in sacred 
service. In the twenty-third chapter of Leviticus, it 
is said, among the directions for the feast of taber- 
nacles : "And ye shall take you on the first day, 
the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, 
and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the 
brook." All Jews who can afford it, therefore, now 
have a goodly bough ; sometimes one of an almond 
tree; another of a willow, which must have good 
leaves, and which grew beside a brook ; and a 
third of myrtle, which must neither have more nor 
less than three leaves at top, and for which (the 
gardeners taking advantage of the circumstance), 
a guinea is often paid. The two latter are then bound 
round the former, and the whole is decorated with 
ribbons. They also preserve goodly fruits, and for 
this the citron is chosen, which may be obtained, 
preserved, at the confectioner's for one shilling, or 
fifteen pence ; but the Jews use it as it arrives from 
Barbary or Lisbon. It might be supposed that the 
cost, under such circumstances, would not be great, 
but we may venture to affirm that no citrons have 
been used for the last twenty-five years, but what 
have been purchased at two or three guineas each. 

During the war with France, several Jewish mer- 
chants speculated in them ; but it sometimes hap- 
pened, from the capture of the vessels or contrary 
winds, that out of ten lots only one arrived, and 
they were then sold as high as twenty guineas each. 
When a large cargo arrives safe, they may not cost 
more than one shilling each, yet the charge for them 
may be considerable. The fact is, that should a Jew 



72 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS. 



have five hundred, he must take them all to the 
High Priest, who examines them carefully. From 
half of them, perhaps, the stalks will fall off, and 
these every one knows to be defiled ; but should the 
Rabbi discover any with black or white spots, or ill- 
shaped, or having a crooked stalk, and cuts a piece 
from them, he pronounces these defiled also; so 
that, perhaps, a tenth part only will be declared fit 
for the purpose intended, and this has to bear the 
cost of the whole. # 

The fifth of these days, which is the seventh day 
of the feast, is called Hoshanna the Great, because 
on this day every one has a branch of a willow tree. 
In reference to which, I must here state, that it is 
the custom for the clerks of the respective syna- 
gogues to purchase willow branches ; that is to say, 
branches of willow trees, such only as grow by the 
side of running streams. These they purchase ac- 
cording to the extent of their congregations, and 
afterwards go from house to house, and distribute the 

* The last day of the feast, that is to say, when the eighth day expires 
of blessing the citron, particularly the very citron which has been used 
by the reader of the synagogue, it is sold by auction, and the highest bidder 
is the buyer. The clerk of the synagogue acts the part of the auctioneer. 
It is not unusual for this said citron to sell from five shillings to two 
guineas. My readers, no doubt, if I were not to explain the reason of 
this citron being sold, would think I should be leaving them in the dark 
on this point. What I now relate, you must remember, is not a tradition, 
but a custom and fancy of their own : for this citron is bought by husbands 
for their wives, or by children for their mothers, if they are in the family 
way. This citron is given to them as a present, and those who receive it, 
bite the stem from it, and say'a short prayer, to denote thus much, that as 
easy as it is to bite the stem from off the citron, so easy may their offspring 
come forth into the world. The produce of the amount of the citron so 
sold, goes into the treasury-box, for the use of the poor. 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 73 

willows according to the number of their families. 
Each householder pays liberally, according to his 
circumstances in life. He distributes the willow in 
equal shares, which is tied up in small separate bun- 
dles, similar to the size of spring radishes, usually 
seen at the green-grocers in London. If I were to 
state the peculiarity and custom which is observed 
on this occasion, it would fill several pages ; suffice 
it to say, each member of the family receives one 
of those bundles, and after saying a form of prayer, 
goes into some convenient part of the house with a 
stem in his left hand, and strikes off the leaves 
altogether from the branches. For the Jews have an 
idea that if the leaves come off quickly, it is a good 
omen, as it indicates that their sins are forgiven 
them; but if on the contrary, they do not fall off 
quickly, it is a bad omen ; and they will not believe 
otherwise, than that on the night following their 
final doom is settled, that they are to die; or if not, 
the year following. Some go so far as to say, the 
doom is cast between twelve and one in the morn- 
ing; and as it generally happens on this season of 
the year, when the moon is nearly at the full, then 
they believe, that if any one could summons up 
courage enough, to go into the shade of the moon, 
with a white sheet cast over their shoulders, and 
find their shadow without a head — it is a sure omen, 
that they are to die the following year. But this 
subject I shall leave, and let my readers draw their 
own conclusion. 

In the prayers of this day, they make use of the 
word, Hoshanna — "Save, we beseech thee;" being 

K 



74 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 



a solemn acclamation to be observed by them at 
this period. They, also, at the same time, take 
forth seven of the laws, from out of the ark, and 
carry them to the altar ; and those that are possessed 
of the palm branch, &c. with the reader at their 
head, go seven times round the altar, in solemn 
procession, in remembrance of the sabbatical years : 
see Numb. xxv. 1. &c; which ends the morning 
service of the day. # 

On the evening of this day, the eighth day of 
the feast commences — (Numb. xxix. 35), at the 
same hour that the sabbath begins, when they go to 
synagogue, to the evening service of the festival, as 
mentioned in their prayer books. 

After their return home from the service, and 
having sat down to meat, the master of the family 
says the sanctiflcation, the same as on the first 
night of the feast; (only instead of saying this day 
of the feast of tabernacles, the time of our rejoic- 
ing), they say, "This eighth day, the feast of solemn 
assembly, the time of our rejoicing;" because this 
festival is distinct from the feast of tabernacles; 
according to the text, (Numb. xxix. 35), "On the 
eighth day ye shall have a solemn assembly: ye 
shall do no servile work therein.' ' 

In the morning they go to synagogue, where, 
after saying the usual prayers, as marked in the 
prayer books for that day, they say the praise; 
after which, they take forth the law, and read the 
portion for the day, which is from the twenty- 

* This is the last day of the feast, that the palm trees, &c. are used. 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 75 

second verse of the fourteenth chapter of Deuter- 
onomy, to the end of the seventeenth verse of the 
same, which is read to five persons. TheMophter is 
from the thirty -fifth verse of the twenty-ninth chapter 
of Numbers, to the end of the last verse of the 
same. The portion read from the prophets, is from 
the fifty-fourth verse of the eighth chapter of the 
first book of Kings, to the end of the first verse of 
the ninth chapter. They then say the prayer for the 
prosperity of the government under which they 
dwell ; and then the law is put into the ark again. 

Then they say the Musoph, i. e. the addition, 
which makes mention of the offering of the day; 
and beseeching the Almighty to be propitious unto 
them, and deliver them from their captivity, &c. 
the same as on the first day of the feast. They like- 
wise, in the prayers of the addition on this day, say 
several others, imploring the Almighty, through 
his abundant mercies, that he would be graciously 
pleased, in sending the rain upon the earth, to 
send it as a blessing, (in due time), and not for a 
curse, in gentle and refreshing showers ; but not in 
storms, and unseasonable times. Then the priests 
say the blessing for the people, which ends the 
morning service for the festival. 

When they are set down to dinner, they say the 
same for the sanctification, as on the first day of 
the feast; but do not say the grace for dwelling in 
the tabernacle. For although the whole festival is 
denominated the feast of tabernacles, yet it is the 
first seven days on which we are commanded to 
dwell in the booths, or tabernacles, according to 



76 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 



the text, Levit. xxiii. 42. "Ye shall dwell in 
booths seven days." The eighth day being a sepa- 
rate festival, (Numbers xxix. 35), " On the eighth 
day ye shall have a solemn assembly: ye shall do 
no servile work therein." And, therefore they cele- 
brate the feast of tabernacles; but the first seven 
days, they being properly called the feast of taber- 
nacles, the eighth day is called the eighth day of 
solemn assembly. 

In the afternoon, they go to synagogue, where 
the service is the same as on the first day of the 
feast. 

In the evening, they go to synagogue, to the ser- 
vice of the last day of the festival, which is called 
Simcoth Touro, the rejoicing of the law; (the reason 
for which, we shall explain, when we come to speak 
of the morning service of the day) ; where, after 
saying nearly the same prayers as on the night be- 
fore, they take forth three of the books of the law 
from out of the ark, which are carried by the reader, 
and two others, round the altar; they and all the 
congregation saying several ejaculatory prayers, in 
particular for this festival, during the time of going 
round the altar. 

Then the laws are put into the ark again, and the 
evening service is ended. 

When they are set down to supper, they say the 
sanctification, the same as the night before, and 
the grace after meat. 

In the morning, they go to synagogue at the 
same hour as the day before, where, after saying 
some particular prayers, in honor of the day, the 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 77 

substance of which is the blessing that awaits those 
who study and contemplate the holy law, they say 
the praise in like manner as the day before. Then 
they take forth three of the laws from out of the 
ark, which are carried by the reader, and the same 
two persons as the night before, round the altar, 
they and all the congregation saying the same 
prayers as on the previous evening. 

They then proceed to lay one of the laws upon the 
altar, and read the portion for the day, which is 
from the first verse of the thirty-third chapter of 
Deuteronomy to the end of the last verse of the 
said book, which ends the law. 

It is enjoined upon them, to read a portion of 
the law in their synagogues every sabbath, in order 
that the word of God might be preserved pure 
amongst them; for which reason the law is divided 
into fifty-four portions or lessons ; for it sometimes 
happens that their intercalary years consist of that 
number of sabbaths or weeks ; but as their other 
years consist not of so many weeks, and also as 
some of their festivals may, and frequently do, fall 
on the sabbath day ; and as they have proper lessons 
of scriptures for all the festivals, and which must 
not be omitted ; therefore the lesson for that sabbath 
is put off for the next; all which would leave a 
great superfluity; therefore, on certain sabbaths 
they read two lessons or portions, in order that the 
whole Pentateuch may be read over in the year. 

After this, they take the second law, and read 
another portion, which is from Genesis i. 1, to 
the end of the third verse of the second chapter. 



78 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 



The reason of this is to shew, that man should 
always contemplate on the word of God ; and there- 
fore as soon as they have finished the reading of the 
law, they instantly begin again, in order that they 
may be continually employed in reading and study- 
ing the word of God. 

They then take the third law, and read the 
Mophter, which is from Numbers xxix. 35, the same 
as the day before. The portion read from the pro- 
phets, is from the first verse of the first chapter of 
the book of Joshua, to the end of the last verse of 
the same. 

Then follows several prayers in honor of the day, 
to rejoice before the Lord for his abundant good- 
ness and mercy, in giving his holy law to us through 
his servant Moses. And as this is the day on which 
the portion is read that makes mention of his death, 
they beseech the Almighty, through his infinite 
mercy, to let them reap the merits of his righteous 
and faithful servant Moses, like unto him there 
arose not a prophet since, whom the Lord knew 
face to face. 

They then say the prayer for the prosperity of 
the government under which they dwell. The law is 
then put back into the ark, and they say the 
Musoph, (the addition), the same as the day before. 

For although this day is called the day of the 
rejoicing of the law, yet it is the same festival as 
that on the day before, and which is called' in the 
scripture the eighth day, on which is to be a solemn 
assembly ; so that the whole festival is to continue 
eight days. 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 



79 



In the afternoon they go to the synagogue, when 
the service is the same as on the day before. Those 
days are two of holy convocation, on which no ser- 
vile work is to be done, (Numb. xxix. 35) ; except 
what concerns their food, such as lighting of a fire, 
or dressing their victuals for the festival, which 
may lawfully be done. 

In the evening they go to synagogue again, where, 
after saying the same prayers as on any other night 
of the week, the feast is entirely ended. 

The sabbath following they begin the first portion 
of the Pentateuch, which begins with the Hebrew 
word n*»«i3 (% % e, the first cause, or the being, or 
production of any thing). This sabbath is called 
the great sabbath, which is kept with particular 
great joy. For observe, in the evening of Simcotk 
Touro, [the rejoicing of the law), the third day of 
the feast of tabernacles, they chuse two of the 
members of their own body, generally men of note, 
opulence, and known integrity. One is nominated 
the bridegroom of the Touro, which is the end of 
the law ; the other is called the bridegroom of the 
beginning. In this manner each one acts his part ; 
the former makes a sumptuous feast on the eve of 
Simcoth Touro, and the heads of the synagogue, and 
such of the congregation as he may select, are 
invited. And in the evening, when they go to 
synagogue, there is great rejoicing among the family 
of the bridegroom. In many of the synagogues, 
particularly in small congregations, the bride, which 
is the wife of the bridegroom; or should the bride- 
groom be unmarried, he may chuse any female, 



80 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 



single or married, amongst the congregation, for 
the time being, it is a custom (but entirely optional) 
for the bride to provide wine and cakes, which she 
shares amongst the females in the gallery; and 
while so employed, the bridegroom is as active in 
the same employment among the males. 

I am sorry to be under the painful necessity of 
inserting the following proceedings. In the syna- 
gogues, when they read the law on this day, at a 
certain portion of it, the reader calls out with a loud 
voice, by inviting all the boys to come up to the 
desk, to hear a portion read to them. To see the 
conduct of the boys at that time is painful in the 
extreme, but which I have been repeatedly called 
to witness. They act all kinds of buffoonery with 
the reader — as pinning pieces of paper and such 
like to his mantle, which generally sets the congre- 
gation in a roar of laughter, and particularly in the 
congregation where I attended for many years. At 
this time, all except Jews are excluded from the 
synagogue. But here I must draw a veil over their 
proceedings, hoping at the same time, God will 
give them a new heart, and a right understanding. 

The sabbath proceeding which is called the great 
sabbath, they proceed the same as on Simcoth Touro, 
by making a great feast, &c. If you ask ninety- 
nine Jews out of a hundred, what this rejoicing 
denotes, they will answer, it is because they have 
lived another year, and the law has been read 
through, and they have lived to see it begun again. 
For it must be understood, that on the great sab- 
bath, they commence reading portion of the Penta- 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 81 

teuch, which is to be continued every sabbath 
during the year, so that many portions are read 
during that period. 

From this circumstance, I have no doubt my 
readers will naturally suppose, that those who re- 
joice the most, have been the most particular and 
fervent during the past year, in reading the law, to 
cause such rejoicing among them. But no; — such 
is not the case: for numbers among them never 
take their bibles in their hands to read. And if you 
ask them what it is that makes them so much 
rejoice — this will be their answer, "If we have not 
read it, or heard it read, the same as it has been 
read in the synagogues, yet God is satisfied." 

The ninth month of the year, called Kislo, on the 
twenty-six day of the month, another feast is cele- 
brated, called Hanucah, (the dedication) , and which 
was instituted by the Maccabees, in memory of 
the great deliverance which God wrought for them ; 
and the great victory they obtained over Antiochus 
Epiphanus, who had polluted the temple, and 
thereby put them to the necessity of cleansing and 
dedicating it again, and which was performed on 
this day. 

This feast lasts eight days, and is appointed to 
be kept with lighted lamps ; the reason of which is 
this, viz. when they had cleansed and dedicated the 
temple, and the priests came to light the lamp, 
which was to burn continually before the Lord, 
(Exod. xxvii. 20, 21), there was no more oil found 
than what would be required for one night, all the 
rest being polluted; and it would require eight days 



82 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 



before they could get and prepare the said oil, it 
being obliged to be pure oil, olive beaten, (see Exod. 
xxvii. 20). But the Almighty wrought so great a 
miracle, that that small portion of oil did continue 
to burn eight days and nights, till they obtained a 
fresh supply : wherefore they light the lamps in the 
following order. 

On the first night, (which is the even of the 
twenty-fourth day of the month, the feast com- 
mencing the same as on the other festivals), they light 
one light, saying the following grace: 4 'Blessed art 
thou, O Lord, our God, King of the universe! who 
hath sanctified us with thy commandments, and 
commanded us to light the lamp of dedication. — 
Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, King of the 
universe! who wrought miracles for our ancestors, 
in those days, about this season. — Blessed art thou, 
O Lord, our God, King of the universe! that hath 
let us live, and hath subsisted us, and hath let us 
arrive to this season. " # 

On the second night they light two, on the third 
night three, adding one every night, till the last 
night, when they light up eight ; every night saying 
the beforementioned grace. f 

As to their prayers on this feast, they do not differ 
much from their ordinary prayers, except this addi- 
tional one: ''For the miracles, and for the redernp- 

* This last grace is only said on the first night of the feast. 

f These lamps are lighted with oil of olive, in commemoration of the 
miracle, it being the pure oil of olive that was used in the temple ; but 
where the oil of olive cannot be procured, thay light with wax. 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 



83 



lion, and for the mightiness, and for the salvation, 
and for the wars, which thou didst perform for our 
fathers in those days, in this season. In the days 
of Matthias, son of Johanan, the High Priest, 
Ahashmonai, and his sons, in the kingdom of 
Taban, the wicked, did rise against thy people Israel, 
to make them forget thy law, and to wander from 
the statutes of thy will; and Thou, through thy 
great compassion, didst arise unto them in the time 
of their trouble — thou didst plead their cause — thou 
didst judge their judgments — thou didst revenge 
their vengeancies — thou didst deliver the strong into 
the hands of the weak — and the multitude into 
the hands of the few — and the impure into the 
hands of the undefiled — and the wicked into the 
hands of the righteous — and the haughty into the 
hands of the contemplators of thy law — and unto 
thyself thou didst make a name great and holy, in 
thy world — and to thy people Israel thou didst per- 
form a great deliverance and redemption on that 
day : and afterwards thy children came into the 
- avenue of thy house, and cleared thy temple and 
cleansed thy holy place, and did light up lights in 
the court of thy holy house ; and did fix those 
eight days of Hanucah, to glorify and praise thy 
great name." # 

Observe, moreover, that the feast of lights is 
kept very strictly, but on which no servile work is 
forbidden to be done. It is kept as a feast of 

* This prayer they are obliged to say in their different prayers, morn- 
ing, afternoon, and night; as likewise in their grace after meat, during 
these eight days of the feast, 



84 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 



rejoicing for the "wonders which God wrought for 
them. They deem it very meritorious, and contrive 
to have the feast prepared in the dusk of the even- 
ing, during the eight days. Parents and children 
amuse themselves in different innocent games during 
this holiday; and particularly the last night, friends, 
neighbours, and acquaintances, meet together, to 
enjoy themselves; as a season of feasting, which 
they look upon as meritorious in the sight of God. 

Tyros, the ten month of the ecclesiastical year, 
on the tenth day of this month, is kept a fast, occa- 
sioned by the first approaches made by Nebuchad- 
nezzar, king of Babylon, to the siege of Jerusalem, 
mentioned, Jer. xxxix. 1. The prophet Zachariah 
calls it the fast of the tenth month. Zachariah 
viii. 19. 

On the twenty-eighth day of this same month, 
viz. Tyros, a feast was instituted on the following 
account : — King Alexander, who was called Tannacus, 
(who reigned in Judea about the year of the world 
3670), out of hatred to the doctors, and to express 
his kindness for the Sadducees, expelled all the 
doctors, except Rabbi Simon Ben Sottohh, who was 
his brother-in-law, and by that means the Sadducees 
were introduced into the Sanhedrim. But by reason 
of their ignorance in such matters as were brought 
before them, (they not admitting any exposition to 
the written law, as will be explained when we come 
to speak of Sadoc, the founder of that sect) ; they 
being not only judges in all civil, as well as criminal 
cases, but likewise in matters of religion they were 
referred to, when any doubt arose, as mentioned in 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 85 

Deut. xvii. 8. "If there should arise a matter too 
hard for thee in judgment, between blood and 
blood — between plea and plea — between stroke and 
stroke — being matters of controversy within thy 
gates : then shalt thou arise, and get thee up 
unto the place which the Lord, thy God, shall 
choose; and thou shalt come unto the priests and 
Levites, and unto the judge that shalt be in those 
days, and enquire ; and they shall shew thee the 
sentence of judgment." They, therefore, being in- 
capable to perform the duties of that exalted station 
went off by degrees, and the aforesaid Rabbi Simon 
placed some of the young doctors in their seats. 
And on that day, when all the senate was filled 
with the doctors, and entirely cleared from the sect 
of the Sadducees, they instituted this festival. 

Shyvot, the eleventh month of the ecclesiastical 
year : on the second day of this month is a feast, 
occasioned by the death of Tannacus. For when he 
fell sick, and lay dying, he caused seventy of the 
chief elders to be shut up in a prison, and com- 
manded the keeper, on the day he died, that he 
should cause them all to be put to death; for said 
he, "I know full well, that the people in general, 
hate me, and will therefore rejoice at my death; but 
I will be before hand with them, and give them 
sufficient cause to lament on that day. ' ' But this wicked 
counsel and design was prevented from taking effect, 
by the conduct of his good and amiable Queen 
Alexandera; who, as soon as he was dead, took 
his ring from off his finger, and sending it to the 
keeper of the prison, ordered him, by that sign, to 



86 FORMS, CUSTOMS AND MANNERS 



release them, under a colour, that the order came 
from Tannacus himself ; which purpose having its 
intended effect, the elders were released,andTannacus' 
death publicly notified, which had by this good 
queen, till that time, been industriously concealed, 
and therefore this festival was instituted. 

Shyvot the Fifteenth. — This day is called Rosh- 
Hashona, i. e. new-year's day for the trees • because 
all those trees that were planted upon, or after 
that day, were reckoned from the growth of the 
ensuing year, and their fruit was tithed accordingly ; 
whereas those trees that had been planted before 
that day, were reckoned into the growth of the 
preceding year, and their fruit was tithed accord- 
ingly. For tithes of different years were not to be 
put together, but were to be paid every year seve- 
rally. On this day also, the daughters of Shiloh, 
clothed in white, went forth into the fields to dance, 
which caused extraordinary mirth and rejoicing; 
and the greatness of the solemnity was such, that 
some of our ancients assure us, no other festival 
was comparable to it. This is the day mentioned 
in Judges xxi. 21, and was the means of preserv- 
ing one of the tribes of Israel. For as all the other 
tribes had bound themselves, by an oath, that no 
one should give his daughter to wife to those of the 
tribe of Benjamin; and which they afterwards sorely 
repented of, as it might be the means of annihi- 
lating one of the tribes of Israel ; they, therefore, 
endeavored, in the best manner they possibly could, 
to avoid that catastrophe. For having smote the in- 
habitants of Jabesh-Gilead, for not coming up to 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 8? 

Mizpeh to the Lord, according to the oath, which 
the whole congregation had taken ; and having 
found among them four hundred young virgins, that 
had known no man, they brought them to Shiloh, 
and the congregation gave them to Benjamin ; but 
these were not sufficient for all those that were left 
of Benjamin. Therefore the elders of the congre- 
gation said, "Behold there is a feast of the Lord in 
Shiloh yearly, when the daughters of Shiloh go forth 
to dance, then catch ye every one his wife, and go 
home to the land of Benjamin." And accordingly 
having hid themselves till the daughters of Shiloh 
came forth, they then took them wives according 
to their number — returned to their inheritance, re- 
paired their cities, and dwelt therein. 

Those two last anniversaries are not so strictly 
adhered to as are many of their others. 

I shall now give a brief account of the feast of 
Purim, which is kept strictly to this very day. 
There is more feasting on the Purim then there is 
on any other festival during the year. For observe, 
the rabbinical writings teach them, that when the 
Messiah comes, all festivals will be abolished, except 
that of Purim; for they say, if the decree should 
have been fulfilled according to the wish of that 
wicked man, Haman, every Jew would have been 
slaughtered, and none would have remained to have 
told the sad tale. 

Oeder the Thirteenth. — This being the day before 
the feast of Purim, it is kept a fast, called the Fast 
of Esther, in commemoration of her fasting three 
days and nights before she went to supplicate the 



88 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS. 



king for the deliverance of the Jews, who were 
marked out for destruction by Haman. (Esth. iv. 15.) 
Although Esther fasted in the first month, which is 
called Nisson, yet that being the time of the pass- 
over, they keep the fast now, the day before the 
feast. Besides, this fast differs from all other fasts 
in the year, for this reason ; because, on the sabbath 
day, all manner of mourning and fasting is forbid- 
den; therefore, whenever a fast happens to fall on 
a sabbath day, (except it be the great day of expia- 
tion, as that supersedes the sabbath), it is deferred 
till the next day, with the exception of this fast, 
which is anticipated two days previous. The reason 
of which is this — the day after being Purim, which 
is the feast, and the day before being Friday, they 
could not finish the fast, on account of the sabbath 
beginning before dark ; and they being obliged to 
fast till night; therefore, when it happens on the 
sabbath, it is kept on the Thursday before. 

And moreover, inasmuch as Haman was an 
Amalekite, whose seed God had commanded should 
be utterly destroyed: therefore on the sabbath im- 
mediately preceding the feast of Purim, they read 
that section of the law wherein it is commanded 
that the memorial of Amalek should be blotted 
out, (Deut. xxv. 17). And this sabbath is called 
the sabbath of reading the section of remembrance. 

Oeder the Fourteenth. — On this day is solemnized 
the feast of Purim, in memory of the great deliver- 
ance which the Almighty wrought for us, in rescu- 
ing us out of the hands of our great and wicked 
enemy, Haman, who had appointed this day for the 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 89 

utter destruction of all the Jews; but by God's 
great mercy and Providence, this day was turned 
unto them from sorrow to joy; and therefore, by 
the decree of Mordecai, and queen Esther, the whole 
nation took upon them to keep this day with feasting 
and joy; and sending presents one to another, and 
gifts to the poor. — Esth. ix. 17, 18, 19. 

The manner of celebrating the feast at present, is 
as follows : on the thirteenth day, at even, they go 
to synagogue, where, after saying the usual prayers, 
the reader reads the whole book of Esther, which 
being wrote on parchment, is spread out in the 
manner of a letter, in reference to those words : 
"Therefore, for all the words of this letter," (Esth. 
ix. 26), in commemoration of the great deliverance 
which the Almighty wrought for them ; and as often 
as the reader mentions the name of Haman, the 
son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, it is customary 
for the children, who have little wooden hammers, to 
knock against the wall; as a memorial that they 
should endeavor to destroy the whole seed of 
Amalek. 

After the book of Esther has been read, they 
say some prayers and thanksgivings, which ends 
the service. 

In the morning of the feast, they go to synagogue, 
where, after saying the usual prayers, they take 
forth the law, and read the portion, which is from 
the eighth verse of the seventeenth chapter of Exo- 
dus, to the end of the last verse of the same, and 
which is read to three persons, viz. a Cohen, a 
Levite, and an Israelite. 

M 



90 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 

After the portion has been read, they put the 
law into the ark again, and the reader reads the 
book of Esther, in like manner as the evening be- 
fore ; because the reading of Esther is considered as 
equivalent to the reading of the law. But they say 
the following in their prayers, morning, afternoon, 
and night; also in their grace after meals. 

"For the miracles, and for the redemption; and 
for the mightiness, and for the salvation ; and 
for the wars; which thou didst perform for our 
fathers, in those days, in this season. In the days 
of Mordecai and Esther, in Shushan, the capital 
city, when the wicked Haman, rose against them ; 
who endeavored to extirpate, kill, and abolish all 
the Jews, from young to old, infants and women, 
in one day, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth 
month, called Oeder; and their substance to be for 
a spoil: and Thou, in thy great compassion, didst 
destroy his counsel, and didst frustrate his designs ; 
and Thou didst retort his work on his own head, 
and caused him and his sons to be hanged on a 
tree." 

The rest of the day is spent in feasting and re- 
joicing, and sending presents to each other, and 
giving largely to the poor. 

It is delightful in the extreme, to see in what 
manner those who have it in their power, keep 
the feast ; generally on this wise : They keep open 
houses — poor and rich, young and old, all have free 
access to come and enjoy themselves. No questions 
are asked, who they are, or what they are. At those 
times they are welcome guests : and many of them, 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 91 

both male and female, dress themselves, or deck 
themselves in all kinds of gaudy dresses, something 
similar to that of the chimney sweepers going about 
on the first of May, in London; and formerly 
they acted a play. Even in this kingdom, they 
erected temporary buildings, indeed as late as within 
my recollection, and their performance was a re- 
presentation of the history of the event of king 
Ahasuerus, Mordecai, Esther, Haman, &c. But of 
late this custom has been abolished. 

No doubt it has been remarked by the world at 
large, that the Jews are not much addicted to drunk- 
enness, for the Talmud law tells them, a drunken 
man is worse than a swine ; for a swine will drink 
no more than his fill ; therefore man is in duty 
bound to do the same. 

The Rabbies say, in the day of Purim, a man _ 
may enjoy himself on this wise : that he may drink 
just as much, and no more, as will leave him able to 
know the difference between gold and silver, wood 
or stone. 

It is delightful to see, in those parts where the 
Jews are most numerous, those who have it in their 
power, going from house to house, giving alms in 
money, and likewise provisions of all kinds, that 
even the poorest among the brethren may enjoy 
themselves. 

Nisson. — The first month of the ecclesiastical year, 
the sabbath immediately preceding the passover, is 
called the great sabbath, and that upon two accounts. 

First. This day happened on the tenth of the 
month, when God commanded the children of Israel 



92 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 



to take every one a lamb in the sight of the Egyp- 
tians. "Speak ye unto the congregation of Israel, 
saying, on the tenth day of this month, they shall 
take to them every man a lamb, according to the 
house of their fathers, a lamb for an house." As 
the Egyptians acknowledged the lamb to be their 
God, and so probably had punished the slayers 
thereof, as profaners of their deity; therefore, they 
take this to be as great a miracle as any that God 
ever wrought in Egypt. 

Secondly. Because the Rabbi of every synagogue 
expounds to the congregation the laws concerning 
the passover, as in what manner the utensils are to 
be cleansed, and what may be used. After the law 
is read in the synagogue, and put again into the 
ark, then the Rabbi takes his standing upon the 
desk, in the midst of the synagogue. But observe, 
during the year, the Rabbi takes his station next to 
the holy of holies, the same as any other of the 
congregation, and with the same formalities as the 
body at large. I may here venture to state, that the 
chief Rabbi's time is occupied, during the year, 
nearly six hours every day in the synagogue: more 
especially, the Rev. Solomon Hirschell, who is chief 
Rabbi of the German and Polish Jews in England, 
and its dependencies. He may be considered the 
same as the bishop of a diocese. If I am not mistaken, 
he is Rabbi over a more numerous people than any 
other Rabbi whatever. Having taken his station, 
the congregation surround the desk, mostly stand- 
ing, to hear the Rabbi's oration; and for nearly 
three hours, without intermission, he explains to 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 93 

them in what manner they must act concerning 
their utensils which are to be for food, &c. 

Here I hope my readers will attentively and 
strictly observe for their own edification, that they 
may be convinced, that our blessed Saviour, during 
his sojourning on the earth, never made use of one 
word in vain, when he adopted those expressions, 
Mark vii. 7, 8, 9. — "Howbeit, in vain do they wor- 
ship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments 
of men. For laying aside the commandment of 
God ; ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing 
of pots and cups ; and many other such like things 
ye do. And he said unto them, full well ye reject 
the commandment of God, that ye may keep your 
own tradition.' 5 

I have myself heard many clergymen and dis- 
senting ministers preach most excellent sermons, 
particularly on the eighth verse of the seventh 
chapter of Mark, "On the washing of pots and 
cups, &c." When they have often compared them 
to sepulchres, which are corrupt within, and white- 
washed without ; and generally they have, no doubt, 
treated the subject according to the dictates of their 
own feeling. But be it remembered, that none but a 
Jew, or those who have had it more fully explained 
unto them, and that from a Jew, can in reality 
understand its import. The Jews are tenacious 
to the extreme on this point, more so indeed than 
perhaps on any other. 

What I am now about to mention, has no doubt, 
been a custom strictly observed amongst the Jews, 
ever since the law was first given upon Mount Sinai, 



94 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 

and I may venture to say, that even at the present 
time, there is not a Jew householder, at least not 
one in a thousand, who will deviate upon this point . 
When a Jew settles in life, this is his first care, he 
provides four sets of culinary utensils, (see Exodus 
xxiii.19). There you find Moses by the command of 
God, thus addresses them: "Thou shalt not seethe 
a kid in its mother's milk.'' I would here remark, 
upon those few words, that the Talmud and Rab- 
bies have compiled a folio volume upon the subject. 
Every Jew must have in his kitchen, or where most 
convenient, two cupboards, or other conveniences; 
one for all kinds of utensils which are used for but- 
ter victuals, and another set for meat victuals; but 
if a misfortune should happen, (perhaps my readers 
will be surprised at my terming it a misfortune, but 
so you will find it is to a Jew) ; for instance, a knife 
or a cover of a saucepan, or a spoon, or any other 
article, which has been used for butter, if these, 
or either of them, should by any mishap, be inter- 
mixed with utensils which are used for meat victuals, 
such an event is sure to throw the whole household 
into a state of dismay, but I must add, such a cir- 
cumstance rarely occurs. For to the credit of the 
Jewesses, to whose lot it falls to take charge of 
their households: on this point they pay parti- 
cular regard. For if they have ever such trusty 
servants, they will not depend upon them, as they 
are taught to believe, that after this life they must 
give an account to God, as to their correctness 
in this affair. But if, however, after all, it should 
so happen, then every utensil is considered as 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 95 



defiled, until the Rabbi is informed of the circum- 
stance, when he will examine them most minutely. 
For instance : Suppose the Rabbi should say that 
all the articles must be sold, or washed, or broken, 
so strictly do they regard his decision, that if a Jew 
were as poor as Job, he would destroy every article, 
rather than transgress on this point ; yea, he would 
sooner sell his bed from under him to renew them 
again. But I remark, a Jew must have four sets ; 
two sets are used in common the year round, except 
the passover ; and so strict are they, that indepen- 
dent of the four sets of utensils, there is a knife 
apart for cutting bread, and one for cutting butter. 

I must here further relate what occured within 
my own recollection. There was a Jew householder, 
with a child about four years of age, who by some 
mishap or other, took a plate that was used for but- 
ter, and sometime within an hour after, the mother 
found out the mistake, and being in very poor cir- 
cumstances, she went to the Rabbi, and stated the 
matter. The Rabbi asked her if she could identify 
the plate. Her answer was, no: for this reason, 
both sets of the utensils being alike. Now then for 
the Rabbi's decision. He replied, "My good woman, 
go home, and let your child go over the cupboard, 
(being a boy) and let him take any plate he likes, 
and go to the upper story of the house and throw it 
out at the window ; if it should so happen, that the 
plate should not break, then all the utensils will be 
defiled." The woman went home and strictly obeyed. 
Whether the plate broke or not, I must leave my 
readers to conjecture. 



96 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 



On the thirteenth day of the month, in the evening 
which is the evening before the passover, they are 
obliged to put away all manner of leaven out of their 
houses, as it is commanded; saying the following 
grace. 

"Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, King of the 
universe, who hath sanctified us with his command- 
ments, and commanded us to put away the leaven." 

The disobeying of this commandment was threat- 
ened with excision, Exod. xii. 15, " Seven days shall 
ye eat unleavened bread ; even the first *day ye shall 
put away leaven out of your houses : for whosoever 
eateth leavened bread from the first day until the 
seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel." 

And, therefore, their houses are all cleaned in 
the most careful manner, so that no kind of 
leaven is found in them. They must likewise put 
away, all those utensils, which they make use of 
at other seasons of the year. For they are not 
allowed to use any article on the passover, that they 
have used to put any manner of leaven in heretofore. 
And, therefore, all those utensils which are to be 
used for the passover are new, or such as have been 
reserved from one passover to the other. 

I have no doubt but my readers have heard fre- 
quently much respecting the Jews' passover cakes. 
These cakes are used instead of bread during the 
eight days of the passover. Some have imagined 
the Jews subsist entirely upon those cakes, but this 
is not the case. Their feastings are very sumptuous 
at those times. The passover cakes are only used 
as a substitute for bread. If I were to state all 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 97 

the ceremonies and peculiarities of this festival, I 
should almost fill a volume on the subject; but I 
shall only relate a few instances of the manner of 
their proceedings. 

First. The corn is bought by the elders of every 
synagogue. They have got stated places, different 
mills and millers, where their corn is ground yearly 
for this purpose. The millers not being Jews, but 
being aware of their strictness, fully adhere to their 
customs. In short, the millers and their men are 
under the guidance of two Jews, who are provided 
by the rulers of the synagogue to be overlookers. 
Every year they provide new boulting cloths, as 
the meal is obliged to be boulted in the presence of 
those overlookers ; otherwise it could not be used. 
The cakes are made of flour and water only, 
without either yeast or salt; and the dough is not 
left for a moment, without watching it, for fear it 
should rise or leaven. 

I must not omit to mention, for the credit of the 
Jews, as well as for the information of my readers, 
the nature and extent of their benevolence towards 
their poorer brethren. For instance, each of the 
rulers of the synagogue, makes a purchase of large 
quantities of wheat, as much as six weeks before the 
passover. Each one knows the quantity of grain 
he shall require, for this reason ; every ruler of 
the synagogue knows the number belonging to their 
community; and they consider, that eight pounds 
are quite sufficient for each person, and provide 
accordingly. 

Secondly. I will here state, that the average price 

N 



98 FORMS, CUSTOMS AND MANNERS 



of this wheat when ground, is about two-pence per 
pound. # It may seem strange, there should be 
such a profit and a tax laid upon it ; therefore it is 
my duty to clear up the point on this subject, which 
I have no doubt will be edifying to my readers in 
general. 

As much as six weeks before the passover, just at 
the entrance of the synagogue, there is a box fixed, 
so that every Jew who has it not in his power to 
provide passover cakes for himself and family, 
signifies by a note the number of his household, 
and the passover cakes are provided for him from 
those funds. Upon an average, the weight of cakes 
given, is from fifty to sixty thousand pounds, and 
that by one synagogue only, being the great syna- 
gogue in Duke's Place: — this being the largest of 
all the eight synagogues in London. These cir- 
cumstances will show clearly that the profit on the 
flour, &c. goes to supply the poor, who cannot pro- 
vide for themselves. 

Their drink during the time of the feast, is either 
fair water, or raisin wine, &c. prepared by them- 
selves, but no kind of leaven must be mixed. 

On the fourteenth day of this month, which is 
the day before the passover, the first-born son of 
every family is obliged to fast. The reason is, because 

* Every baker who is appointed amongst the Jews, is obliged to give 
four-pence a-pound for such flour. Independent of this charge, every Jew 
who has a seat in the synagogue, whatever the amount of his seat-rent 
may be, pays two shillings in the pound as a tax towards the passover 
cakes. So every independent Jew, when he purchases his cakes from the 
baker, pays eight-pence a-pound upon an average. 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 99 

the Lord on that night, smote all the first-born 
of the Egyptians. They do this therefore in re- 
membrance of God's great mercy, in protecting the 
first-born of our nation. 

On the fourteenth day in the evening, the pass- 
over begins, as commanded: "In the first month 
on the fourteenth day of the month, at even, ye 
shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and 
twentieth day of the same month at even." 

The manner of celebrating the passover, having 
been attended with some alterations, I shall attempt 
to give a short account thereof; and therefore shall 
consider. — First, How it was observed, at its first 
institution in Egypt. Secondly, How it was solem- 
nized, whilst the temple stood. Thirdly. How it is 
celebrated at this time, during the captivity. 

As to the first, this is described at large, (Exod. 
xii). Here I shall take notice of some peculiar rites, 
wholly omitted (because not enjoined) under the 
third particular. — First. Their being commanded 
to take the lambs four days before the passover, 
and which was then to be killed. "Speak ye unto 
the congregation of Israel, saying, in the tenth day 
of this month they shall take to them, every man a 
lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a 
lamb for an house." Now, the reason for this was, 
that as the Almighty was about to redeem them from 
Egyptian bondage, and to give them his holy laws 
and commandments; and inasmuch as they were 
not to worship idols : (the Egyptians having already 
acknowledged the lamb to be their God), so probably 
they would have severely punished the slayers of 



100 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 



these lambs, as profaners of their deity. Therefore 
the Lord commanded them to take the lamb publicly, 
four days before, and keep it in their houses, ready 
prepared, that every one might see it, and not take 
it just when they were going to kill it in a private 
manner, as if they were afraid of the Egyptians ; but 
openly before their eyes. The Almighty shewing 
them thereby, that neither the idols, nor the wor- 
shippers of them have power to injure them, while 
they keep God's commandments, and obey his 
laws. 

Again j The reason of its being slain by every 
family (or company) in their private houses respec- 
tively, was this: that as there was no place set 
apart in Egypt, for the worship of the true God, they 
were therefore to kill it in their respective houses ; 
but when they came into their own land, they were 
to bring the lamb to the place which God had chosen 
in Jerusalem, and there offer the paschal lamb. 

Moreover: The taking the blood of the lamb, 
and striking it on the two side posts, and on the 
upper door posts of the houses where it was to be 
eaten, was another rite to be observed. "And they 
shall take of the blood and strike it on the two side 
posts, and on the upper door posts of the houses 
where they shall eat it." This rite was to be ob- 
served for two reasons. First. To shew the Egyp- 
tians the contempt in which they held their worship, 
not only by sacrificing their deity, but also sprink- 
ling the blood thereof in so contemptible a manner, 
against the side posts, and upper door posts of their 
houses ; and they not have power to resent so great 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 101 

an indignity. Secondly. Where God tells them, 
the blood shall be for a token for you. "And the 
blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses 
where you are : and when I see the blood, I will pass 
over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to 
destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt." 

Not that God had any occasion for the blood 
thereby, to distinguish between an Israelite, and an 
Egyptian ; for all things, even the most hidden, are 
known to him, blessed be his name for evermore: 
but it was to shew the Israelites obedience,- in 
observing God's command ; although by so doing 
they put themselves in jeopardy, even as Moses 
said to Pharaoh, Exod. viii. 26. "So shall we 
sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before 
their eyes, and will they not stone us?" Yet never- 
theless they put their trust in God, and readily 
obeyed his commandments, in renouncing the 
idolatrous worship of the Egyptians. Therefore the 
Lord said, "When I see the blood, i. e. your obedi- 
ence of my commandment, and by so doing, have 
put your trust in me, and entirely renounced the 
idolatrous worship of the Egyptians, I will not 
suffer the plague to be upon you, to destroy you, 
when I smite the land of Egypt." I would mention 
further: The eating of it with their loins girded, 
their shoes on their feet, and their staves in their 
hands ; and lastly, the eating of it in haste. 

The reason of these two rites, was likewise to 
shew their faith, and firm reliance on the word of 
God, which he spake by his servant Moses. For 
though they groaned under so severe a bondage, 



102 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 

and notwithstanding the several plagues, yet was 
Pharaoh's heart so hardened, that he would not let 
them go. But when God told them that their 
deliverance was now about to be wrought, and that 
they were to be in readiness to depart; that none of 
the passover was to be left till the morning, but 
that they must eat it in haste, Exod. xii. 10 ; in 
order that they might not be called upon before 
they had finished it, and were ready equipped for 
their journey. All this was designed to shew their 
firm reliance upon the promises of God. 

Secondly. The manner of solemnizing the pass- 
over while the temple stood. It must be observed, 
the lamb was to be without blemish, a male of the 
first year, from the sheep or the goats, and brought 
to the temple, and there to be killed on this 
fourteenth day of Nisson, betwixt the two evenings. 
This is according to the common and very ancient 
tradition, betwixt the time of the sun's declining 
from his meredian altitude, till three o'clock in the 
afternoon, and from three till six; after which 
time the sun going below the horizon, the fifteenth 
day commences. 

Moreover, the daily evening sacrifice was like- 
wise to be offered betwixt the two evenings, and 
was ordinarily slain at half-past two, and offered at 
half-past three. Therefore, lest it should interfere 
with the celebration of the paschal sacrifice, it was 
ordained, that the ordinary evening sacrifice should 
take place an hour before the usual time, which 
was the constant practice on all like emergencies. 
This was done, that the extraordinary sacrifice 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 103 

of the paschal lamb might be observed precisely 
according to the time appointed for it. But if the 
fourteenth day was the eve of the sabbath, then the 
ordinary sacrifice was to be slain two hours before 
the fixed time, viz. at half-past twelve, and offered 
at half-past one ; that so they might have the more 
time to kill, and offer the paschal sacrifice, without 
violating the ensuing sabbath. 

The lamb being brought to the court of the 
temple, was there to be killed with the following 
ceremonies. The whole congregation of Israel being 
distributed into three companies, (for all the males 
were obliged to come to Jerusalem to the passover, 
this being one of the festivals that God commanded 
all the males to appear before him) ; one was admitted 
into the court aforesaid, and the door being 
shut, any one, except a priest, was allowed to kill 
the lamb ; the priest's office being only to receive 
the blood in the holy vessels, and sprinkle it upon 
the altar. The Levites, at the same time, assisting, 
and praising God with songs, and trumpets and 
other musical instruments. 

After the first company was dismissed, the second 
was admitted, and then the third; all with the 
same solemnity ; which being over each man brought 
his lamb to his family, or company, (because some- 
times one family was too small, then he was to join 
with his neighbour), where, after being roasted, it 
was to be served up as the last course ; and to be 
eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 

In the following manner, an historical relation 



104 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS. 

was given to each company, of the slavery and 
captivity of the Jewish nation in Egypt — of their 
deliverance from thence — and of the institution of 
the passover occasioned thereby — being likewise per- 
formed with some psalms and hymns ; which being 
ended the paschal lamb was served as aforesaid, 
and eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 
The reason of eating it with bitter herbs, was in re- 
membrance of the Egyptians making their lives 
bitter with hard bondage ; and, therefore, to give 
God thanks and praise, for their great deliverance 
therefrom. The whole solemnity concluding with 
suitable hymns and psalms. 

Thirdly. As to the observance of the passover at 
the present time. During a state of captivity, they 
cannot offer the paschal sacrifice as formerly. They 
observe it now in the following manner. On the 
fourteenth day, at even, the feast of the passover 
begins, when they go to synagogue, where, after 
having said their prayers, as marked in their prayer 
books for that evening service, they return home, 
to celebrate the feast in the following manner. 

Here I must give my readers to understand in 
what manner the table is laid out. There is a table 
prepared with a white cloth over it, and in the 
midst there is a dish or a stand, and over the 
utensil a white napkin is covered, and a passover 
cake is laid upon it, and covered with another nap- 
kin ; in the like manner, two others in rotation.* 

The top of the table is decorated in this manner. 

* Those three cakes used for this purpose, are double the size of those 
used during the eight days. 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 105 

There are three utensils, either gold, silver, china, 
or common ware, according to circumstances. One 
utensil is filled with salt water, and one with a 
kind of sweetmeat, made from apples, nuts, sugar, 
&c. to the consistency of paste ; the other is occu- 
pied by a small lamb bone, about two inches long, 
which has been roasted ; and likewise on the top of 
all, they have bitter herbs strewed, such as rue, 
&c. It must be remembered, that every one of the 
household, from the head down to the lowest ser- 
vant of the Jews, on that night, take a sitting at 
the table. And to see the different decorations on 
this table, would strike a beholder with surprise 
and wonder, should he possess the least spark of 
Christianity. It may be considered an exact repre- 
sentation of that scene, when our blessed Saviour 
partook of his last supper with his disciples. 

When the master of the family comes home from 
synagogue, he washes his hands, and the family 
do the same ; it being the custom for every one 
in the household to do so. The reason why they 
permit their servants to sit down at table on this 
night, is in commemoration of their being all ser- 
vants and bondsmen in the land of Egypt. On 
those nights they have all their plate, jewels, and 
other valuables, on the table, or some convenient 
part of the room where they feast, as a memorial, 
that when their forefathers went out of Egypt, they 
did not go out empty handed. The scriptures say, 
that they borrowed gold, silver, and jewels from 
their neighbours. 

Some of the world have made this remark, that 
o 



106 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 

it was not an honest trick to borrow, with the in- 
tention never to return ; but the Rabbies, according 
to the Talmud law, say that God wrought a miracle 
on this wise : that the Jews labored in Egypt without 
wages; so it turned out, whatever each Jew bor- 
rowed of his neighbour, was the exact sum which 
was due to him for labor. At supper the master of the 
house seats himself at the head of the table, and so 
from the elder down to the younger, in rotation. He 
then takes a glass of wine in his hand, and says the 
following blessing: " Blessed art thou, O Lord, our 
God, King of the universe ! the Creator of the fruit of 
the vine. Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, King 
of the universe ! who hath chosenus above any nation, 
and exalted us above any language, and sanctified 
us with his commandments ; and hath vouchsafed 
unto us, O Lord, our God ! thy love. This is the 
time of the feast of unleavened bread — the time of 
our redemption, with love and holy convocation; a 
memorial of the departure from Egypt. For us thou 
hast chosen, and us thou hast sanctified of all the 
nations ; and hath sanctified this season with love 
and favor, with joy and gladness, and hath made 
us to inherit. Blessed art thou, O Lord, the sanc- 
tifier ! and blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, King 
of the universe ! that hath let us live, and hath sub- 
sisted us ; and hath let us arrive to this season." 

Each one at the table is provided with a glass of 
wine ; for it is the custom, on this night, for every 
one to drink four glasses of wine. There is also, an 
additional glass of wine ; the particular^ of which I 
shall give as I proceed. Each one takes up his 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 107 

glass of wine, and repeats the same prayer as the 
master of the house. Then the master ch aunts 
with a loud voice, and all the males follow, by re- 
peating psalms and thanksgivings to God, for the 
great deliverance which he wrought for them, 
according to the rules laid down to them ; which 
they consider to be the same as when they were in 
the wilderness. In the course of this ceremony, 
when they come to mention the ten plagues with 
which God smote the Egyptians, every time they 
mention it, (and this is done in quick succession), 
each one dips his finger in the salt water, in com- 
memoration of their forefathers going through the 
salt sea in safety, and the Egyptians being drowned. 
Then, in rotation, they take one of the cakes from 
between the napkins, and break it into pieces about 
the size of an olive, and give each a piece round 
the table, and, at the same time, give them some 
of the bitter herbs ; which is in commemoration of 
their forefathers when in Egypt, having their lives 
embittered by their taskmasters. Afterwards they 
take another cake from between the napkins, the 
same as the former, breaking it, and giving each a 
piece, and with it some of the sweetmeats, (which 
has the appearance of clay), and after saying a 
prayer for the purpose, they eat it with great rejoic- 
ing, comparing the difference of the time present 
and the days of old. At one time their lives were 
embittered by working in the clay, making bricks, 
&c. so by eating the sweetmeats, shows the contrast 
between the present time and the Egyptian bondage. 
At a certain time during the ceremony, they all 



108 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 



arise from their seats, and each touch the small 
piece of lamb's bone, which is in commemoration 
of the paschal lamb. 

It is no wonder that the prophet Isaiah, when 
contemplating the conduct of the Jews, said, "The 
ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's 
crib, but Israel doth not know; my people doth not 
consider." And that Paul should exclaim, "Blind- 
ness, in part, hath happened unto Israel." And 
that our blessed Saviour, when he hung on the 
xross, in his greatest agony, and when nearly ex- 
piring, feeling for the poor Jews as he did, should 
cry out, saying, "Father, forgive them, they know 
not what they do." The reason why I have made 
these remarks, is this: because of all the precepts 
laid down in the holy writ, none was so strictly in- 
culcated, as when God said to Moses, "Tell the 
children of Israel to take a lamb on the fourteenth 
day of the month, and sacrifice it, and a bone of 
him shall not be broken." So if blindness, in part, 
had not happened unto Israel until this day, I am 
sure my brothers would clearly see, that by touching 
this bone, they act contrary to the injunction of 
God. If I were to speak to my brethren according 
to the flesh, upon this point, they would make this 
reply — It is a rule laid down by the Rabbies, and 
so laid down, in order to put them in mind of the 
paschal lamb. Here I must pause. # # # 
After this ceremony is over, they partake of their 
supper. Then the service commences again, and 
lasts almost till midnight. They say the usual grace 
after meat, when they begin again, each one drink- 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 109 

ing a glass of wine. I have spoken before of an 
additional glass of wine. Now, let me observe here, 
that upon a fair calculation, at the present time, it 
is computed there are seven million of Jews ; for I 
reckon that, upon an average, there are seven to 
each household, which of course, makes a million 
householders; so that by this calculation, there is 
required one million extra glasses of wine. No doubt 
my readers would wish to know what is the purport 
of the additional glasses — of this hereafter. 

It must be understood, that as the Jews have 
their laws, customs, and rules, laid down, it is not 
usual for them to argue upon the point of religion; 
for as the Jew grows in years, his customs grow 
with him. Hence, they make themselves quite 
happy and comfortable, by supposing that they are 
sure to be saved, because they are of the seed of 
Abraham. In short, if a Jew was to doubt within 
himself, and should express a desire to have these 
doubts cleared up, he would, at once, be looked 
upon as a wicked man ; it would be to call in 
question the rules laid down for them. On this 
night, it is customary for them, when they com- 
memorate the passover, to tell of the wonders 
which God wrought for them, in bringing them out 
from under Egyptian bondage. 

You find in the scriptures, that God said to the 
Jews, Exod. xii. 25, 26, 27. — " And it shall come 
to pass, when ye be come to the land, which the 
Lord will give you, according as he hath promised, 
that ye shall keep this service. And it shall come 
to pass, when your children shall say unto you, 



110 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 



what mean ye by this service ? That ye shall say, 
It is the sacrifice of, the Lord's passover; who 
passed over the houses of the children of Israel in 
Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered 
our houses." The Kabbies say, if children have not 
a knowledge to ask what this ceremony means, it is 
the duty of the parents to inform them on every 
particular point ; or even any one of riper age, who 
may sit at the table. Parents consider it a great 
joy for children to ask particular questions on this 
night. After the wine is drank, it is a rule for the 
youngest child to rise from his seat, and open the 
door, and all at the table rise likewise, and look 
stedfastly towards the door, under the idea that 
Elijah, the prophet, makes his appearance in every 
Jew's house in the world. I cannot forget, nor 
ever shall I, what happened on one of those 
seasons. When a boy, about twelve years old, I 
asked my father if it was actually so, that Elijah, 
the prophet, came to a million of houses at one 
time. He seemed much delighted with my enquiry, 
and this was his reply: 4 'My child, how many Gods 
are there in the world?" Having been taught there 
was but one, such was my reply. He asked me 
again, "How many suns there were in the heaven 
to shine?" I replied, one. "How many moons?" 
I told him, one. He asked me, "If the sun that 
gave light in England was the same that gave light 
to other nations ?" I answered, yes. So the same by 
the moon. He asked me likewise, "If our God 
was the God of the whole world?" My answer was, 
yes. So by the same rule, my father informed me, 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. Ill 

did God cause Elijah, the prophet, to be at one 
time in every Jew's house. Further, I asked him, 
as I was given to understand that those additional 
glasses of wine were for Elijah, what was the fact ? 
He answered me, by saying, that the glance of 
Elijah towards the wine was just the same as if he 
drank it. 

After this, the master of the house takes the 
other cake from between the napkins, and breaks it 
as the former, except one quarter of it, which is 
left whole. Then he gives each one round the table 
two pieces, one to eat, and the other to save. This 
they generally do the year round, in commemo- 
ration of the passover ; and in the quarter which is 
not broken, they bore a hole, and afterwards hang 
it up in some conspicuous place in their dwelling. 
The second night of the passover, they go through 
the same ceremony as the first. 

The next morning they go to synagogue, and 
chaunt a prayer, taken out of the law, and after- 
wards read it. 

In the afternoon they go to synagogue, and like- 
wise in the evening. 

It is usual for them on all their festivals, and also 
on their chief sabbaths, to go to their synagogues 
three times a day; but at other times, they go only 
twice a day. The passover continues eight days. 
The first two days of the feast, no servile work must 
be done, nor on the two last. The four intermediate 
days are called the four common days of the feast, 
because on those days, works of necessity may be 
done; for they are obliged to keep the feast of un- 



112 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 

leavened bread seven days ; yet, it was the first and 
seventh days, that were called the days of holy con- 
vocation, on which no servile work was to be done. 
Lev. xxiii. 7. — "In the first day ye shall have an 
holy convocation ; ye shall do no servile w T ork 
therein." 

On the last day of the feast, as soon as it is dark, 
(that is to say, at the time for the appearance of the 
stars), they goto synagogue, to the evening service, 
and as soon as it is ended the feast is over, and they 
may again eat all manner of leaven as usual. 

Sivan. — The third month of the ecclesiastical 
year, is called the feast of weeks, and also the feast 
of the first fruits. On this day, they believe the law 
was delivered to the children of Israel at Mount 
Sinai. The manner the feast is celebrated, is as 
follows. They go to the synagogue to commence 
the service. Here I must not forget to mention, 
that the synagogues are beautifully decorated with 
all manner of choice flowers, beautiful to behold, and 
when service is over, they have a form of prayer be- 
fore and after supper. In the morning they go to 
synagogue again, and go through their forms of 
prayer, according to the rules laid down for them. 
In the afternoon, they again go to synagogue, also 
at night, and attend to the service in the same man- 
ner as on the first night, the prayers being nearly 
the same. 

On the morrow they go to synagogue, where, after 
saying nearly the same prayers, as the day before, 
each one reads to himself, the whole book of Ruth. 
The reason of which is this, that as the book of 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 113 

Ruth treats chiefly of the kindness and favor of Boaz, 
in paying particular attention to, and afterwards 
espousing her, who had returned into Judea, in a 
sad and forlorn condition, (chap. i. 21). However, 
Ruth would not leave her mother-in-law; the prin- 
cipal reason for which was, that she would not leave 
the worship of the true God, for she says, (chap. i. 
16), " Thy people shall be my people, and thy God 
my God;" meaning thereby, that she would join 
herself to the people of the Lord, that she might 
thereby serve the Lord, the same as the Israelites 
did, and, which she could not do, if she returned to 
her own country. On this account it was, that she 
was willing to dwell with her mother, encounter all 
manner of hardships and difficulties, even to the 
gathering of corn after the reapers. Now consider 
how the Lord rewarded her. Boaz said to her, at 
their very first meeting, "The Lord recompence 
thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the 
Lord God of Israel, even the kingdom of David his 
servant," who was of the seed which the Lord gave 
to Boaz from Ruth. Therefore, the Jews on this 
day, read the history of those events, in order to 
impress their minds with this idea, viz. to be obedient 
to, and praise the Lord, for his infinite mercy and 
grace, in giving us on this day his holy law and 
commandments, which in so peculiar and eminent 
a degree inculcate those precepts of charity, kind- 
ness, and brotherly love towards all our fellow- 
creatures. 

Those two days are days of the holy convocation, 
Lev. xxiii. 21. — "And ye shall proclaim on the self- 
p 



114 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS. 

same day, that it may be an holy convocation unto 
you : ye shall do no servile work therein ; it shall 
be a statute for ever in all your dwellings through- 
out your generations." As also in Numb, xxviii. 
26. — "Also, in the day of the first fruits, when ye 
bring a new meat offering unto the Lord, after your 
weeks be out, ye shall have an holy convocation ; 
ye shall do no servile work therein." And, there- 
fore, they may not do any manner of work on those 
days, except what regards the lighting of fire, and 
dressing of victuals for the feast; this maybe done. 
In the evening of the second day, when it is time 
for the stars to appear, they go to synagogue, and 
with this service the feast terminates. 

Arob. — The fifth month of the ecclesiastical year; 
on the ninth day of the month, a very strict fast is 
kept, occasioned by the burning of Jerusalem, by 
Nebuchadnezzar, and which lasted to the tenth, 
inclusively. On this day also, the second temple 
was burnt by Vespasian, (see Josephus). This 
fast the prophet Zechariah calls the fast of the 
fifth month; it commences the evening before, while 
it is clay, in the same manner as the sabbath com- 
mences on the Friday evening, when they go to 
synagogue to the evening service, which is as follows. 
After saying the usual evening prayer, the reader, 
in a low mournful voice, reads the book of the lamen- 
tations of Jeremiah, and some other prayers; all of 
the same tendency, expressive of their great mis- 
fortune, in being carried into captivity in a strange 
land; and having their temple burnt and destroyed; 
by which they were prevented from serving the Lord, 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 115 

and offering the daily sacrifices ; also, the sin offer- 
ing, &c. whereby an atonement was made for their 
sins. 

On the morning of the fast they go to synagogue 
about six o'clock, and after saying the usual morn- 
ing prayers, (but without putting on their veils and 
frontlets, as will be explained when I come to speak 
of the morning service of the week days) ; they 
take forth the law, and read a portion of it, which 
is from the twenty-fifth verse of the twenty-fourth 
chapter of Deuteronomy, to the end of the fortieth 
verse of the same ; which is read to three persons. 
The portion from the prophets, is from the thirteenth 
verse of the eighth chapter of Jeremiah, to the end 
of the twenty-fourth verse of the ninth chapter ; 
which treats of the judgment which the prophet 
pronounced against them and likewise bewailing their 
desperate state. After which, they put the law 
into the ark again, and say several other prayers ; 
all shewing their miserable estate at present ; which 
service lasts till after twelve o'clock at noon. 

In the afternoon they go to synagogue to the 
service, when they take forth the law, and read a 
portion of it, which is from the eleventh verse of 
the thirty-first chapter of Exodus, to the end of 
the fourteenth verse of the, same; and from the first 
verse of the thirty-fourth chapter of the same to 
the end of the tenth verse ; which is read to three 
persons. The portion from the prophets, is from 
the sixth verse of the fifty-fifth chapter of Isaiah, to 
the end of the seventh verse of the fifty-sixth chapter 
of the same. Then they put the law into the ark 



116 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 



again, and say the remainder of the evening service 
which ends the service of the fast. 

When the time is come for the appearance of the 
stars, then it is accounted night, they may then 
break their fast, which they were obliged to keep 
strictly from the evening before ; not tasting even 
a drop of fair water. 

If my readers could but behold their forms and 
customs in the synagogue, on their different feasts, 
they would find what a great contrast there is to 
that of the ninth day of their fast, as has been men- 
tioned. To observe in what a brilliant manner the 
synagogue is lighted up, to what it is on the eve of 
the fast, which is called the black fast. Then the 
whole congregation sit on the ground without shoes ; 
and whereas on other nights, they have not less, upon 
an average, than three hundred lights; on this, they 
do not have more than twelve ; and those distributed 
only here and there. One of the congregation 
has in his hand a very slight wax taper, and, by ro- 
tation, some of the congregation chaunt, with a 
very mournful voice, different lamentations, chosen 
to express their feelings on the occasion. To hear 
and to see their proceedings, would draw tears of 
compassion from your eyes towards God's ancient 
people. 

The ceremony of circumcision. 

This commandment was first given to the patri- 
arch Abraham, as being the fountain head from 
whence the promised seed was to proceed ; to whom 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 117 

he promised he would be their God for ever. The 
Almighty, therefore, at this time commanded Abra- 
ham to be circumcised, in order that he might be 
perfect before God; and in whom all the nations of 
the earth were to be blessed ; and that Isaac might 
be born, and be circumcised exactly to the time 
appointed; namely, on the eighth day. 

If the eighth day happens to be on the sabbath, 
it must be performed on that day, notwithstanding 
its sanctity. If a Jew be a doctor, he may cir- 
cumcise a child, or do any servile work on the sab- 
bath. The Rabbies say, any one may save life, 
and the other is the command of God. Suppose a 
child is born between the setting of the sun on a 
sabbath eve, the next sabbath eve is the eighth 
day ; but if it is uncertain whether the child was 
born on the eve or on the sabbath, then it must 
not be circumcised on the eve, because of the un- 
certainty ; and the time must not be anticipated one 
moment; nor on the sabbath, which is the ninth ; 
for the reason above laid down. So then it must be 
circumcised the day following, which is the tenth. 
But I may remark, such a circumstance as that of 
a child being born so exact to a minute, is a rare 
occurrence ; but when it does so happen, the chief 
Rabbi is consulted on the occasion, and his decision 
is acted upon. 

It is the custom, that when a male child is born, 
a godfather is chosen from amongst his relations, 
or near friends ; and if the party is not in circum- 
stances to bear the expenses, which are consider- 
able ; for after the ceremony is performed, a breakfast 



118 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 

is provided, even amongst the poor ; and generally in 
such style, that no one but a beholder could ima- 
gine. It is usual for the poorer classes to get one 
amongst the richer, who accepts the office, and be- 
comes a godfather; at all events, they are not much 
at a loss, for there are societies formed amongst 
them to provide godfathers ; and he has only to go 
to the head person of the society for the purpose. 
Every Jew receives the benefit, if his child is born 
in wedlock. For the society appoints one of their 
members to become godfather to the child, and one 
pound fifteen shillings is given to the parents from 
the funds, and also a present from the godfathers 
and godmothers. 

The ceremony is performed in the following 
manner : — The circumcisor being provided with a 
very sharp instrument, called the circumcising 
knife, plaisters, cummin seed, wine to wash the 
wound, proper bandages, &c. the child is brought 
to the door of the synagogue by the godmother, 
where the godfather receives it from her. As soon 
as the godfather enters with the child, the congre- 
gation say, Boruch Hobo, i. e. "Blessed is he that 
cometh to be circumcised, and enter into the cove- 
nant on the eighth day." 

The child being brought into the synagogue, 
where a large chair with two seats is placed, the 
one for the godfather to sit upon ; the other is 
called the seat of Elijah, the prophet, who is called 
the angel or messenger of the covenant. The god- 
father being seated, and the child placed on a 
cushion in his lap, the circumcisor lays hold of the 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 119 

foreskin, and fixes it in an instrument, in order that 
it may not slip from him during the operation, in 
which case, it might be attended with dangerous 
consequences. The foreskin being thus secured, 
the circumcisor says the following grace: — "Blessed 
art thou, O Lord, our God, King of the universe ! 
who hath sanctified us with his commandments, and 
commanded us circumcision:" when he instantly 
cuts off the extremity of the foreskin, and then, with 
the utmost dispatch, (before the blood has covered 
the wound), rends the remainder with his nail, by 
which means the glans are laid bare, and is called 
in Hebrew, pyreo, i. e. rending. He immediately 
takes that part into his mouth, sucks out the blood, 
and then puts cummin seed and a plaister on the 
wound; and having properly bound it up with 
bandages, the godfather gets down from his chair, 
and holding the child in his arms, the circumcisor 
takes a glass of wine into his right hand, and says as 
follows : "Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, King 
of the universe! the Creator of the fruit of the vine. 
Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God! who hath sanc- 
tified his beloved from the womb, and ordained an 
ordinance for his kindred, and sealed his descen- 
dants with the mark of his holy covenant ; therefore 
for the merits of this, O living God! our rock and 
inheritance, command the deliverance of the beloved 
of our kindred from the pit, for the sake of the 
covenant, which he hath put in our flesh. Blessed 
art thou, O Lord, the Maker of the covenant ! Our 
God, and the God of our fathers ! preserve this 
child to his father and mother, and his name shall 



120 FORMS, CUSTOMS AND MANNERS 



be called in Israel, A. the son of B. Let the father 
rejoice, in those that go forth from his loins; and 
let his mother be glad in the fruit of her womb ; as 
it is written, 'Thy father and mother shall rejoice, 
and they that begat thee shall be glad.' And it is 
further said, 'And T passed by thee, and saw thee 
polluted in thy blood; and I said unto thee, in thy 
blood thou shalt live.' And it is said, 'He hath 
remembered his covenant for ever ; the word which 
he commanded to a thousand generations ; even the 
covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto 
Isaac ; and hath confirmed the same unto Jacob for 
a law, and to Israel for an everlating covenant. ' 
Also it is said, 'And Abraham circumcised his son 
Isaac, being eight days old, as God commanded him. 
O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his 
mercy endureth for ever.' A. B. this little one, may 
he live to be great, and as he hath entered into the 
covenant, so may he enter into the law, the canopy 
and good deeds." 

The father of the child says the following grace : 
"Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, King of the 
universe ! who hath sanctified us with his command- 
ments and commanded us to enter the covenant of 
our father Abraham." The congregation answer, 
"As he hath entered into the law, the canopy, and 
the good and virtuous deeds. # " 

My readers may imagine that this operation upon 
a child of such tender age, may be attended with 
danger, but such is not the case; for it would be 



* If the child be sick, he is not circumcised till he is quite well. 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 121 

considered a surprising and wonderful circumstance 
to hear of a child dying on account of it. Indeed, 
in general, the child is healed in three days. 

Of the redemption of the first-born. 

This ceremony is founded on the following com- 
mandment, Exod. xiii. 1. — "And the Lord spake 
unto Moses, saying, sanctify unto me all the first- 
born, whatever openeth the womb, among the 
children of Israel ; both of man and of beast is mine;" 
Also, in Exod. xiii. 11. — "And it shall be when the 
Lord shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, 
as he sware unto thee and to thy fathers, and shall 
give it thee, that thou shalt set apart unto the Lord 
all that openeth the matrix ; and all the first-born 
of man amongst thy children shalt thou redeem.' ' 

This redemption was afterwards explained to be ob- 
served by the eleven tribes of Israel, according to the 
commandment, in Numb. iii. 44. — "And the Lord 
spake unto Moses, saying, take the Levites, instead 
of all the first-born among the children of Israel, 
and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; 
and the Lefites shall be mine ; I am the Lord. And 
for those that are to be redeemed, of the two 
hundred and three score, and thirteen of the first- 
born of the children of Israel, which are more than 
the Levites ; thou shalt even take five shekels apiece 
by the poll after the shekel of the sanctuary shalt 
thou take ; (the shekel is twenty gerahs) ; and thou 
shalt give the money wherewith the odd number of 
them is to be redeemed unto Aaron, and to his 
Q 



122 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 



sons." From the before-mentioned texts, it is plain 
that the Almighty commanded them to sanctify all 
the first-born, both of man and beast ; the latter to 
be sacrificed, and the former to be employed as 
priests in his service. This was done in comme- 
moration of the Almighty having slain all the first- 
born of the Egyptians, and saved the first-born of 
the children of Israel ; as mentioned in Exod. xiii. 
14. — "And it shall come to pass when thy son 
asketh thee, in time to come, saying, what is this? 
that thou shalt say unto him, by strength of hand, 
the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house 
of bondage. And it came to pass when Pharaoh 
would hardly let us go, that the Lord slew all the 
first-born in the land of Egypt; both the first-born 
of man, and the first-born of beast ; therefore I 
sacrifice to the Lord, all that openeth the matrix, 
being males ; but all the first-born of my children, 
I redeem." But they, i. e. the first-born, having 
sinned, in worshipping the molten calf, with the 
rest of the children of Israel, the Lord rejected 
them, and chose, in their stead, the tribe of Levi ; 
because they did not worship the calf, as mentioned 
in Exod. xxxii. 26. — "Then Moses stood in the 
gate of the camp, and said, who is on the Lord's 
side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of 
Levi gathered themselves together unto him." And 
therefore the Lord commanded that they should 
take the number of all the first-born of the males 
among the children of Israel, and redeem them as 
far as the number of the Levites went ; but as the 
number of the first exceeded the number of the 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 123 

Levites, the overplus were each to give five shekels 
to the priest for their redemption, and those that 
were born after that period, were to be redeemed by 
the priest for five shekels. 

The manner of performing the ceremony is as 
follows : — All the guests and the priest being as- 
sembled, the father of the child goes to the priest 
and acquaints him that his wife, who is an Israelite, 
hath brought him forth a male child, being her 
first-born; and behold I give him unto thee. The 
priest then asks him, which he had rather have, 
either his first-born son, or the five shekels, which 
thou art obliged to give me, for the redemption of 
this thy first-born son ? The father answers, this 
is my first-born, and here take unto thee the five 
shekels, which is thy due for his redemption. 

At the time the father gives the redemption 
money to the priest, the former says the following 
grace: — " Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, King 
of the universe! who hath sanctified us with his 
commandments, and commanded us to perform the 
redemption of the son. Blessed art thou, O Lord, 
our God, King of the universe ! that he hath let us 
live, and hath subsisted us, and hath let us arrive 
to this season."* 

Of the visitation of the sick and the burial of the dead. 
When any of their sick are so bad as to be 

* The father is specially commanded to redeem his first-born son ; but 
not till he is a full month old ; but if the father should neglect it, or the 
child should be born after the death of the father, in either case he is 
obliged to redeem himself as soon as he arrives at age. 



124 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 

thought in danger, then they are not suffered to 
be alone, but notice is sent to the Kabronim, i. e. the 
Society of Buriers. Every synagogue has two 
such societies, viz. one for the men, the other for 
the women, which consist of the principal persons 
belonging thereto. Their business is to watch by 
the sick, to wash the dead before the burial, and 
to dig the grave; for all which purposes they draw 
lots who is to serve; allowing, two to watch the 
sick person, four to wash the dead (if a grown 
person, to a child two), and four to dig the grave, 
as they account it the most meritorious w^ork that 
can be done, to do any thing to serve the dead. 
The society of the women watch by those of their 
own sex, and make the shrouds of both sexes; and 
observe, all this is done without fee or reward, they 
being inspired to these acts of benevolence, by the 
virtue and merit of the action itself, and they also 
immediately send some of their party to watch and 
pray by the sick till their death. 

As soon as they have departed this life, all those 
that are by at the death, say as follows: — " Blessed 
art thou, O Lord, our God, King of the universe! 
the righteous judge;" — and all those who hear of 
the death of a Jew do the same. The corpse is 
then taken and laid on the ground, and a pillow 
put under its head, and the hands and feet laid out 
even, the body covered over with a black cloth, and 
a light set at its head. 

The set time for the burial is regulated by the 
rulers of the synagogue. It is made public in the 
synagogue, or by a box made of copper as a 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 125 

money-box, and it is sent round in large towns, 
where the Jews are more particularly in the habit 
as a body, of making it known, that one of their 
number lies dead at a certain place, and when the 
time of their burial will be ; of which I shall give a 
more particular account hereafter. The rulers en- 
deavour, if possible, to have the corpse before sun- 
set, particularly if they die early in the morning. 
It is accounted a disgrace for the dead to lay above 
ground, unless it be for the convenience of friends, 
in order to enable them to prepare proper shrouds, 
coffin, and the like necessaries. 

The women are washed by those of their own 
sex, who are likewise drawn for by lot from the 
women's society, and such garments put on them 
as are usually worn by the sex, and treated in all 
other respects as the men. 

The corpse being thus attired, and put into the 
coffin (and which is always plain, without being 
coloured), and a black cloth thrown over it, is then 
put into the hearse, and conveyed to the burying 
ground. As soon as it arrives, it is taken out of 
the hearse, by some of those belonging to the 
society, laid on the bier, and it is thus carried 
into a hall, belonging to the burying-ground, where 
they again open the coffin, to see if any thing 
has been displaced by the jolting of the hearse in 
coming, which, if it has, they then lay it regular; 
and the lid of the coffin being then closed, all pre- 
sent say the following prayer: — 

" He is the rock, his work is perfect, for all his 
ways are judgment ; a God of truth, just and up- 



126 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 



right is he. He is the rock; he is perfect in all his 
work. Who is it, that can say unto him, what workest 
thou? He governeth both above and beneath; he 
killeth and maketh alive ; he maketh to go down 
into the grave, and bringeth up again; he is the 
rock; he is perfect in all doings. Who is it can say 
unto him, what doest thou? He it is who says and 
is done — work mercy unto us for nought, and for 
the merits of him who was bound as a lamb ; be 
attentive and do. He is righteous in all his ways ; 
he is the rock ; he is the perfect, long suffering, and 
full of mercy. O, have pity and compassion, we 
pray thee, on the fathers and the children; for thou 
art the Lord of forgiveness and mercy; thou art 
righteous, O Lord! to kill and make alive, for in 
thy hands are deposited all the spirits : far be it 
from thee to blot out our remembrance, but let 
thine eyes be open upon us with mercy, for thou 
art the Lord of mercy and forgiveness— yea, if a 
man lives one year, or he lives a thousand years, 
what profit hath he? behold, he is as though he 
had never been. Blessed be the true judge, who 
killeth and maketh alive ; blessed be he, for his 
judgment is true, and perceiveth all things with his 
eye, and pays unto man his reckoning, and judg- 
ment, and all do give praise unto his name. We 
know, O Lord ! that thy judgment is just, art justi- 
fied with thy words, and the merits of thy justice; 
and none can complain of the order of thy justice ; 
righteous art thou, O Lord! and upright is thy 
judgment; a true judge, and judgest true. Blessed 
be the true judge, for all his judgments are just and 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS. 127 

true ; the souls of all living are in thy power; justice 
filleth the right hand, and power. O have com- 
passion on the remnant of the sheep of thy hands ; 
and say to the angel, stay thy hand. Mighty in 
council, and great in work ; behold thine eyes are 
open upon all the ways of the children of men : to 
give to every man according to his ways, and the 
fruit of his works. To shew that the Lord is upright, 
He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in 
him. The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken 
away, blessed be the name of the Lord. And He 
being full of compassion, forgiveth iniquity, and 
doth not destroy : yea, frequently turneth away 
his anger, and doth not stir up all his wrath." 

The bier with the corpse upon it, is then carried 
out of the hall into the burying-ground, in the 
following order. As soon as those that carry the 
bier have advanced a few paces, they set down the 
bier, and all present say as follows: 

"Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, King of 
the universe ! who hath formed you in judgment, 
and fed and cherished you in judgment, and 
killed you in judgment ; and knows the number of 
you all in judgment ; and in future time will cause 
ye to live again in judgment. Blessed art thou, O 
Lord ! the restorer of life to the dead." 

The corpse is then carried forward to the grave, 
and interred by some of the society; and as they go 
forth from the burying ground, they pluck some 
grass, and say, "They shall spring forth from the 
city, as the grass of the earth." They then wash 
their hands, and say, "He will swallow up death 



128 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 

for ever, and the Lord God will wipe away the 
tears from off all faces ; and the rebuke of his 
people will be removed from off all the earth ; for 
the Lord hath spoken it." They also say the ninety- 
first psalm, beginning at the last verse of the nine- 
tieth, and say the whole of the ninety-first, which 
ends the burial service. 

Of the sacredness of the sepulchre. 

It is really worthy of observation, that it is one of 
their fundamental principles, to bury their dead in 
the most decent manner that possibly can be, and 
also to hold the sacred repositories of the dead in 
the utmost veneration. And, that no manner of 
sacrilege be committed on the remains of those in- 
terred, either by disturbing those already buried ; 
by opening their graves afresh; or in any other 
manner interrupting them : their method of pro- 
ceeding is as follows : — 

As soon as they have purchased a place for 
a burying ground, (which is usually at some little 
distance from the town), it is laid out in rows, formed 
by driving stakes into the ground, and placing 
boards against them; the breadth of these rows 
being the full length of an adult. In these rows 
are their dead interred, next to one another ; and 
when one row is full another is opened next to it, 
in the same order, till the ground is full ; and in 
this manner are all the dead buried, poor or rich, 
their being no distinction. Even those whose rela- 
tions cannot afford to pay for their burial, and are 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS, ETC. 129 

therefore buried at the expense of the synagogue. 
They are interred in the same order, provided they 
have lived an honest, and irreproachable life ; but 
if, on the contrary, they have led a wicked, dis- 
honest, and dissolute life, they are buried in a par- 
ticular place, set apart for that purpose, although 
their friends may be able to pay for their burial. 

When any of their burying grounds are full, they 
either purchase more ground, or if that cannot 
conveniently be had, in that case they have it raised 
to a sufficient height, so as to be able to open 
another grave without disturbing that which is un- 
derneath. This is done by a sufficient quantity of 
earth being brought and laid over it ; and although 
this is a difficult and expensive undertaking, yet it 
sometimes is done, when they cannot conveniently 
purchase other ground. Indeed they hold it to be the 
most impious and sacrilegious act, to disturb the 
remains of the dead. Besides the above insti- 
tution, they have another, relative to their burying 
ground, which is, that at each of them there is a 
Jew with his family, who constantly resides there, 
and receives a salary from the rulers of the syna- 
gogue. His business is to take care of the ground, 
and to write down, in a book, which he keeps for 
that purpose, the names, day of the month, and 
year, in which they have been interred, and also 
the row in which they lie ; by which means it is 
impossible to commit such a mistake as that of 
opening a grave that has already been opened. For 
by these means, he becomes well acquainted with 
every spot of ground where a corpse has been laid. 

R 



130 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 

Moreover, all orders for burials are made by the 
rulers of the synagogue, who derive no emolument 
from it, like mercenary priests, therefore, there is no 
probability of injustice being committed. The money 
paid for interment, by those that can afford it, is 
paid to the treasurer of the synagogue, and there 
can be no inducement to commit wilful mistakes ; 
and as to casual ones, I have clearly shown that 
they are almost impossible. I think this institution 
highly meritorious, and worthy of imitation by all 
civilized nations ; for it is enough to make humanity 
shudder, at the thoughts of having their remains 
dragged forth some little time after interment, and 
thrown about as if they were the bones of the brute 
creation. 

Of their mourning for the dead. 

For the seven following relations, viz. a father, 
or mother ; brother, or sister ; son, or daughter ; 
husband, or wife ; — they are obliged to mourn in a 
peculiar manner, as follows : — 

In the first place, as soon as any of the before- 
mentioned relations have departed this life, they 
rend their garments, # which is done in the following 
manner : — 

* This ceremony is very ancient among the Jews, it being made mention 
of in scripture as early as Jacob's time; for when they brought the gar- 
ment of Joseph to him, and he thought he was slain by a wild beast, it 
says "And Jacob rent his clothes, and mourned for his son many days." — 
Gen. xxxvii. 34. We also find in Lev. xxi. 10, where God, in com- 
manding that the high priest should not defile himself for any of his rela- 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS, ETC. 131 



They take a knife, and holding the blade down- 
wards give the upper garment a cut on the right 
side, and then rend it an hand's breadth. This is 
done for the five following relations, viz. brother, 
sister, son, or daughter, or wife ; but for father or 
mother, the rend is on the left side, and must be 
done in all the garments, as coat, waistcoat, &c. 

As soon as the burial is over, the mourning begins ; 
which is called Shivoc, i. e. the seven days; for 
that is the period of its continuance. During this 
time, they do not go out, nor do any manner of 
business; but sit on the ground, barefooted, that 
is without shoes, as mourners, and are daily 
visited by those of their nation, who come to con- 
dole with them. They are visited not only by their 
friends and acquaintance, but even by those who 
are mere strangers to them. They esteem it a most 
meritorious action, to visit and to condole with 
those that are mourning for the dead ; and there- 
fore during those seven days, there is free access 
to every one that chuses to visit them. 

The first meal they make after the burial, must 
not be of their own providing, but what is sent 

tions, says in particular, "He shall not uncover his head, nor rend his 
clothes." David also, when he heard of the death of Saul, and his son 
Jonathan took hold of his clothes and rent them.— 2 Samuel i. 11. To 
this also is it, that the prophet Joel alludes, when he says, " Rend your 
hearts, and not your garments." — Joel ii. 13. By which he meant, that 
they should rend their hearts, i. e. repent for their past sins, and return 
to the Lord with their whole hearts, and then they would not have 
occasion to rend their garments for the death of their children or parents ; 
for then the Lord would be merciful unto them, and would not destroy 
them. 



132 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 



to them from some of their friends, which they 
usually do.* 

For all the before-mentioned relations, they must 
not shave their beards, nor cut their nails, neither of 
their hands or feet ; nor bathe for the term of thirty 
days, which term is called in Hebrew the Shyloshim, 
i. e. the thirty days. 

Of their prayers, morning, afternoon and night , as 
also those made use of on several occasions. 

As soon as they rise in the morning, they are 
obliged to wash their hands, by pouring water three 
times over each hand. The reason of this is, that 
as sleep is an emblem of death, they are therefore 
in this manner to cleanse their hands from the un- 
cleanness that rested on them in their sleep. They 
then say the following grace : — " Blessed art thou, 
O Lord, our God, King of the universe ! who hath 
sanctified us with his commandments, and com- 
manded us to cleanse our hands." 

* It is to this ceremony, and also the above-mentioned one of not 
putting their shoes on their feet, that the Almighty referred to, when he 
commanded the prophet Ezekiel, not to mourn for his wife ; saying, 
" Put on thy shoes upon thy feet, and eat not the bread of men," i.e. the 
bread of other men, which they will send you. For the prophet being a 
sign unto them, to shew the greatness of the calamity which was to befall 
them, therefore God commanded Ezekiel not to mourn for the dead, 
as it was usual to do ; thereby shewing, that ths calamities which God 
would bring upon them should be so great, and general, that they should 
mourn one towards another, i. e. their loss of kindred should be so general 
among them, that the one should not be able to afford the usual assist- 
ance to the other, in supplying him with the aforesaid meal ; which is 
meant by the words, of his not eating the bread of men. 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS, ETC. 133 

If they have performed their necessary evacu- 
ations at their rising, they then say the following : — 
" Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, King of the 
universe ! who hast formed man with wisdom, and 
hast created in him holes, pipes, sinews, veins and 
joints. It is certain, and known before the throne 
of thy glory, that if but one of them were opened, 
or but one of them were stopped, it would be im- 
possible for mankind to subsist or stand before 
thee. Blessed art thou, O Lord ! the healer of all 
flesh, and wonderful in works." 

Immediately, on all occasions, after the perform- 
ance of their necessary evacuations, they wash their 
hands and say the following prayer, and also give 
God thanks in an ejaculatory prayer, for restoring 
their soul unto them again after their sleep. 

" My God, the soul thou hast given me is clean; 
thou hast created it, and thou hast formed it, and 
thou hast breathed it into me, and thou dost care- 
fully preserve it within me, and thou wilt here- 
after take it from me, and restore it unto me again 
in future time; all the time that the soul continues 
within me I do acknowledge before thee, O Lord 
my God, and the God of our fathers, the governor 
of all works, and Lord of all souls. Blessed art 
thou, O God ! the restorer of the soul to the 
carcases of the dead." 

They then say their morning prayers ; for they 
must not take any food, nor do any manner of 
work, before they have performed that duty, after 
the rising of the morning pillar, or the dawning of 
the day. 



134 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 

As for their prayers, they have liturgies, in which 
are all the prescribed forms of their synagogue 
worship ; and those who have not time to go to 
synagogue must say their prayers at home, three 
times every day ; that is, in the morning, in the 
afternoon, and at night. 

The most solemn part of these prayers are those 
which are called, Kiriath Shema, and Shemonch 
Efreh. The first consists in reading of three portions 
of scripture ; the first is taken from the beginning 
of the fourth verse of the sixth chapter of Deuter- 
onomy to the end of the ninth verse ; the second 
from the beginning of the thirteenth verse of the 
eleventh chapter of Deuteronomy to the end of the 
twenty-first verse ; and the third from the begin- 
ning of the thirty-seventh verse of the fifteenth 
chapter of Numbers to the end of the chapter. And 
because the first of these portions in the Hebrew 
Bible begins with the word Shema i. e. hear ; all 
three portions put together are called the Shema, and 
the reading of them Kiriath Shema; that is, the 
reading of the Shema. The reading of the Shema 
twice a-day, that is, morning and night, is what 
they are expressly bound to do, because of the 
words of the law in Deut. vi. 7, and xi. 19 — " And 
thou shalt talk of them, when thou liest down and 
when thou risest up i. e. at the usual time of 
mankind lying down, which is at night, and the 
usual time of rising, which is the morning. The 
reading or repeating of this Shema, in the manner 
as is here related, is most certainly of great moment, 
for preserving of the true religion among them, 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS, ETC. 135 

because, herein they do, twice every day make 
confession of the unity of God, and of the duties 
which they owe to him. 

The other is called Shemonah Efreh, i. e. the 
eighteen prayers. Be it observed, these were 
composed and instituted by Ezra and the men of 
the great synagogue. But in the days of Rabbi 
Gamaliel (who lived a little before the destruction 
of the second temple) the heretics and apostates 
having increased, and become very troublesome 
and painful to them, even as thorns in their side ; 
by endeavouring to seduce them from the true 
religion ; and perceiving that this was an essential 
of the first magnitude in the necessary concerns of 
mankind ; the said Rabbi Gamaliel and his San- 
hedrim, unanimously agreed to compose another 
prayer, which should contain a request to the Al- 
mighty to annihilate the heretics, and placed it 
among the eighteen prayers above-mentioned ; so 
that they now contain nineteen prayers. 

Now these prayers are enjoined to be said, by 
all that are of age, of what sex or condition soever, 
either in public at the synagogue, or in private at 
their own dwellings, three times everyday; that is, 
in the morning, in the afternoon, and at night. 
For as it is at present, so it always has been, a con- 
stant rule among them, that all are bound to pray 
unto God three times every day — that is, in the 
morning at the time of the morning sacrifice, and 
in the afternoon, near the time of the evening 
sacrifice, and at night ; because the evening sacri- 
fice continued burning upon the altar all night. 



136 FORMS, CUSTOMS AND MANNERS 



That it was anciently among God's people, the 
steady practice of good and religious persons, to 
offer up their prayers to God thrice every day, is 
not to be disputed, for this we find David and 
Daniel did. The former says, in the book of Psalms, 
— " Evening, and morning, and at noon will I pray, 
and cry aloud, and he shall hear my voice." And 
the latter tells us, that notwithstanding the king's 
decree to the contrary, he kneeled upon his knees 
three times a-day, and prayed and gave thanks 
unto his God, as he did aforetime : by which it is 
plainly implied, that he did not only at that time 
thus pray, but that it was always his constant cus- 
tom so to do. 

The reading of the Shema, and also the repeating 
of the nineteen prayers, they are expressly bound 
to do, as their morning devotions. The former 
being expressly commanded in the law, as above- 
mentioned ; and the latter are so much esteemed by 
them, that they allow the name of prayer to be 
only proper to the saying of these nineteen. They 
regard them, by way of eminence, to be superior 
to any of the rest; inasmuch as they contain 
the very essence of prayer. The three first of 
them, are praises to the Almighty ; the three last 
are thanksgivings to him ; and the thirteen inter- 
mediate ones, contain requests of every principal 
thing essential to the welfare of mankind, either in 
their individual capacity, or as the whole congre- 
gation ; and therefore they are offered up in the 
most solemn manner in all their synagogues. The 
congregation, first say them in a low voice, after 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS, ETC. 137 

which the reader of the synagogue repeats them 
aloud in the most solemn manner, the congregation 
all the while paying the utmost attention. As 
soon as he begins one of the said prayers, and 
makes mention of the name of the Lord, they in- 
stantly say, " Blessed is he, and blessed is his 
name," and when he has concluded the prayer they 
say, " Amen ;" and so on, till he has concluded the 
whole of the nineteen prayers. 

But besides these prayers, and the reading of 
the Shema, there are several other prayers in the 
morning service, some going before, others inter- 
spersed between them, and others following after ; 
but the above-named are the fundamental and prin- 
cipal part which are used by them. 

The proper time of the morning prayer is from 
the sun rising till the third hour of the day — for it 
being expressly commanded in the law, " when 
thou risest up," as has been already mentioned; by 
which is understood the usual time when men 
arise, and formerly that was the time also when the 
morning sacrifice was offered; and therefore since 
that period, not to read the Shema in due time is not 
to act in accordance with God's commandments. 

When they say their prayers in the morning, 
they make use of the garments with the fringes, 
called Zitzzis, and also Tephillin, i. e. Phylacteries, 

As to the former, it is to be observed, that every 
male of the Jewish nation, is obliged to have a 
garment with fringes at the four corners thereof, 
as it is commanded, Numb. xv. 37 — u And the 
Lord spake unto Moses, saying, speak unto the 



138 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 

children of Israel, and bid them that they make 
them fringes in the borders of their garments, 
throughout their generations, and that they put on 
the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue : and it 
shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look 
upon it, and remember all the commandments of 
the Lord, and do them ; and that ye seek not after 
your own heart, and your own eyes, after which ye 
use to go a whoring, that ye may remember, and 
do all my commandments, and be holy unto your 
God, I am the Lord your God." 

Every morning when they put on- the said gar- 
ment, they must take the fringes thereof in their 
hands, and say the following grace: — " Blessed art 
thou, O Lord, our God, King of the universe! 
who hath sanctified us with his commandments, 
and commanded us, the commandment of the 
fringes." 

This garment is made of two square pieces, with 
two long slips like straps joined to them, in order 
that one of the said square pieces may hang down 
before upon the breast, and the other behind. At 
the extremity of the four corners are fastened the 
fringes, by means of five knots, which knots, with 
the eight threads of each fringe, are thirteen; and 
the numerical letters of the Hebrew word, Zitzzis, 
amount to six hundred, which, added together, 
make the number of six hundred and thirteen, 
which is exactly the number of precepts contained 
in the law. This garment is called the small veil, 
and which every Jew of the male sex, of whatever 
condition, Is obliged to wear continually. 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS, ETC. 139 

Besides the small veil, which is wore under their 
garments in the manner above described ; they 
have, when at the morning prayers in the syna- 
gogue, the large veil with the fringes, which is put 
on over their garments. 

Of the Tephillin, i. e, the Phylacteries. 

The manner in which they are to be made, and 
the use they are for, I shall describe at large. 

The first thing I mention is the parchment case 
for the head, where the phylacteries are put. This 
is formed into a particular shape upon a last of 
wood, made exactly square at the bottom. This 
bottom is a flat smooth board, upon which there 
are four smooth boards, erected parallel to each 
other. The parchment which covers and receives 
its figure from this frame, is first thoroughly soaked 
in water, to make it pliable and capable of receiving 
any form. It is thus fitted to the frame or last, so 
as to be thrust in between every upright board, to 
the bottom, and the bottom must also be exactly 
covered with it. When it is thus made in every 
part, as smooth and as close to the frame as it can 
possibly be, it remains there till it is perfectly dry 
and stiff ; so that when the parchment is taken off 
the last, there are four cavities in it, answerable to 
the thickness of the four boards, and into every 
one of those cavities is put a section of the law, 
written with great exactness, upon very fine vel- 
lum. The four sections that are thus put in are as 
follow : — 



140 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 



The first is, from the beginning of the fourth 
verse of the sixth chapter of Deuteronomy to the 
end of the ninth verse of the same ; the second is, 
from the beginning of the thirteenth verse of the 
eleventh chapter of Deuteronomy to the end of the 
twenty-first verse of the same ; the third is from 
the beginning of the first verse of the thirteenth 
chapter of Exodus to the end of the tenth verse of 
the same; and the fourth from the beginning of the 
eleventh verse of the said chapter to the end of the 
sixteenth verse of the same, On the outside 
boards of the frame the letter Shirty the initial letter 
Shaddai, i. e. Almighty ; one of the particular and 
incommunicable names of Jehovah is cut out in 
relievo, and the other, which is within the board, 
is cut so deep, that the strokes of the letters, either 
prominent or hollow, distinctly appear upon this 
parchment case when it is dry. It is made wide 
enough at bottom to reach a little over the bottom 
board ; this is done that it may be sewed together 
at last, that the sections of the law may not drop 
out of the cavities. At one end there is a loop, 
into which a thong is put, with which it is made 
to bind about the head. This parchment is covered 
carefully over with a fine skin, the hairy side of 
which must be outermost, to keep the sweat of the 
head from the case, and the phylacteries that are 
within it. The whole is sewed together with thongs 
of leather, cut very fine and made very soft. 

The following is the mode of preparing the parch- 
ment case for the phylacteries of the arm. It is 
j made upon a frame, the same as the other, but 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS, ETC. 141 

with only one cavity, into which is put the same 
four sections as in those which are for the head. 
The four sections thereof must be wrote on four 
different slips of vellum; and also must have the 
letter Shin on the two sides thereof. But as to the 
phylacteries for the arm, the said four sections are 
to be wrote on one piece of vellum, but in four 
columns, and is not to have the letter Shin on each 
side as the other had. In every circumstance of 
this affair, they are extraordinarily scrupulous, as to 
the order of writing and placing the sections ; the 
manner of making the ink ; preparing the vellum, 
&c. all of which are very particularly described by 
Maimonides in his Hilcoth Tephillin, from whom 
I have taken their description. 

The use of the Tephillin, or Phylacteries. 

Every male of the whole Jewish nation, at or 
above the age of thirteen, is considered accountable 
for his actions, and enters into what they term a 
state of manhood ; and, therefore, from that time 
forward, he is obliged to observe the precepts of 
the law. Before he begins his prayers, he must, 
(whether it be at the public worship, in the syna- 
gogue, or privately at home), put on the phylac- 
teries in the following manner. 

They first take the phylactery for the arm, and 
having placed it on that part of the left arm which 
is opposite the heart, say the following grace: — 
"Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, King of the 
universe ! who hath sanctified us with his com- 



142 FO*MS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 

mandments, and commanded us to say the Tephillin" 
They then instantly, by means of a leather-thong, 
which runs through a loop of the case like a noose, 
fasten it on the said part of the arm that it may not 
slip from thence. They then take the phylactery 
for the head, and saying the following grace : — 
"Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, King of the 
universe ! who hath so sanctified us with his com- 
mandments, and commanded us the commandment 
of Tephillin" place the case on the forehead on 
that part where the hair begins to grow, and by 
means of a leather thong, which runs through the 
loop, is carried round the head, and tied behind, 
where it remains in that position; observing also, 
at the same time, that it is placed exactly between 
the eyes. All this is understood by the command- 
ment in the law. — "And thou shalt bind them for 
a sign upon thy hand, and they shall be as frontlets 
between thine eyes." 

The Rabbies say, this commandment, if duly 
considered, and properly weighed, is indeed a sign 
of the first magnitude between the Almighty and 
us. For we herein make confession of the unity of 
God, and the duties which we owe unto him ; and 
that we may remember the miracles and wonders 
which he wrought for us when he brought us forth 
from Egypt ; and that he hath power and govern- 
ment over all ; as well in the heavens above, as in 
the earth beneath; to do in them according to his 
will. They moreover state, that he hath commanded 
us to bind the phylacteries on our arm, in remem- 
brance of the strong hand wherewith the Lord 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS, ETC. 143 

brought us forth ; and that it should be on that 
part of the arm which is opposite the heart ; to shew 
that we ought to subject the appetites 'and imagi- 
nations of our hearts to his service ; and that the 
phylactery for the head, which is just opposite the 
brain, is to intimate that it is the place nearest 
where the soul is seated, and that all its senses and 
powers should be entirely devoted to the service of 
God. Thus it becomes an article of faith among 
the Jews, that every one of them are bound, every 
morning at least, during the time of reading the 
Shema, and saying the nineteen prayers, to have on 
the phylacteries ; because it is a sign of their acknow- 
ledging the Almighty to be the Creator of all things ; 
and that he hath power to do as he pleases. On the 
sabbath, and other festivals, they do not put on 
the phylacteries, because the duly observing them, 
being a sufficient sign of itself, as expressed in 
Exodus xxxi. 12. — 4 'And the Lord spake unto 
Moses, saying, speak unto the children of Israel, 
saying, verily, my sabbaths shall ye keep : for it is 
a sign between me and you throughout your gene- 
rations ; that ye may know that I am the Lord 
that doth sanctify you." And again, verse the 
seventeenth — "It is a sign between me and the 
children of Israel for ever ; for in six days the Lord 
made heaven and earth." Thus every one of the 
whole Jewish nation is sealed with these two signs 
of the covenant of God continually ; thereby 
making confession of the unity of God, and con- 
sequently of the duties they owe to him. For he 
being the Creator of all things, as well celestial as 



144 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 



terrestrial, it is proper that Divine worship should 
be offered to Him, and none else. 

THE AFTERNOON PRAYERS, 

Which are called Tephillahs Minchah, i. e. afternoon 
prayers. 

These were instituted for evening sacrifice as above 
mentioned, and as it was to be continually offered at 
half-past three, therefore, was it instituted that 
the time of the afternoon prayers should begin at 
that hour, and which is called Minchah Kytone, i. e. 
Little Minchah. But as it sometimes happened, that 
the fourteenth day of the month Nisson, fell on the 
Friday, in that case, the daily evening sacrifice was 
slain at half-past twelve ; and of course it was 
allowed, that the afternoon prayers might be said 
after that time ; and this is called Minchah 
Gedoulah, i. e. the Great Minchah: the time of which 
is from half-past twelve till half-past three. The 
time of the Little Minchah is from half-past three till 
after the sun is gone down. It is a prevalent 
opinion among the Jewish commentators, that this is 
the proper time for the afternoon prayers ; for they 
say, that it was not only instituted against the 
evening sacrifice, but also against the incense, which 
was to be offered at even, after the daily sacrifice ; 
alluding to that passage of the psalmist— " Let my 
prayer be set forth before thee as incense, and the 
lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice." — * 
Psalm cxli. 2. 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS, ETC. 145 

The form of the afternoon prayers is as follows : — 
They begin at the last verse of the one hundred and 
forty-fourth Psalm, saying, before it, this short 
ejaculation — "Happy are they that dwell in thy 
house continually praising thee. Selah. Happy is 
that people whose case is such; yea, happy is that 
people whose God is the Lord." They then say 
the whole of the one hundred and forty-fifth Psalm, 
and then the nineteen prayers as before mentioned, 
the reader repeating them aloud, after the congrega- 
tion have said them, the same as at morning prayers. 

Their prayers at night consist of the following. 
First, their reading the Shema, as already mentioned, 
and repeating the nineteen prayers, as also two bless- 
ings, or praises before the Shema, and two after it. 

The most proper time for reciting the Shema is 
from the time the stars appear till twelve o'clock ; 
for it being commanded in the law to repeat the 
Shema when they lie down, and when they rise up, 
i, e. at the usual time of rising, and the usual time 
of going to bed ; therefore, although they should 
not happen to go to bed, yet they must nevertheless 
repeat the Shema at the proper season. 

There are three forms of prayers which they have 
for the common days of the year, but on the sab- 
baths, new moons, and other festivals, they have 
four ; the fourth is called the Musoph, i. e. the addition, 
because it was instituted against the additional 
sacrifice of those festivals ; all of which are particu- 
larly specified in Numb. xxix. 1., which additional 
sacrifices were offered immediately after the morn- 
ing sacrifice; and for that reason is the prayer of 

T 



146 FORMS, CUSTOMS AND MANNERS 

the Musoph said directly after the morning prayer 
Besides the above-mentioned stated times of prayer, 
they immediately preceding their going to bed, 
say another, the form of which is here stated, 
" Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, King of the 
universe ! who makest the wearied sleep to fall on 
mine eyes, and slumbering on mine eye-lids ; let it 
be thy will, O Lord, my God, and the God of my 
fathers ! to lay me down in peace, and to make me 
to rise again in peace; and let me not be affrighted 
by any thoughts, bad dreams, or evil imaginations ; 
and let my bed stand in peace before thee ; and 
awaken mine eyes, lest I sleep to death. Blessed 
art thou, O Lord ! who doth enlighten the universe 
with his glory." 

They then say the first portion of the Shema, and 
the last verse of the ninetieth Psalm, and the whole 
of the ninety-first. They then say from the begin- 
ning of the second verse of the third Psalm to the 
end of the same ; after which they say as follows : 
"O Lord, our God! make us lie down in peace ; 
and make us so rise, O our King ! to life, and 
spread over us the tabernacle of thy peace. Inspire 
us with good council from before thee, and save us 
for thy name's sake. Do thou protect us, and re- 
move from us foes, pestilence, sword, hunger, and 
troubles; and remove satan from before and behind 
us, and in the shadow of thy wings shalt thou hide 
us; for God, our keeper and preserver art thou; for 
an Almighty, favorable and compassionate King 
art thou ; and preserve us in our going forth, and 
in our coming in, with life and peace henceforward. 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS, ETC. 147 

' 'Blessed is the Lord by day, and blessed is tfye 
Lord by night. Blessed is the Lord when we lie 
down, and blessed is the Lord at our rising up ; for 
in thy hands are the souls of all the living, and 
the spirit of all human creatures. Into thy hands do 
I commit my spirit ; thou hast redeemed me, O 
Almighty true God ! our God, who art in heaven ; 
unite thy name, and confirm thy kingdom perpe- 
tually, and reign over us for ever. 

"Let our eyes behold, and our hearts rejoice. 
Let our souls be glad in thy true salvation, when 
it will be said unto Zion, your God reigneth, the 
Lord doth reign, the Lord hath reigned, and the 
Lord will reign for evermore ! For the kingdom is 
thine \ and for ever to all eternity thou wilt reign 
in glory, for there is not unto us any King but 
thee. 

"The angel which redeemed me from all evil, 
bless the children, and let my name be named on 
them, and the name of my fathers, Abraham, and 
Isaac, and let them grow into a multitude in the 
midst of the earth. 

"And he said, If thou wilt diligently hearken 
unto the voice of the Lord, thy God ! and wilt do 
that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear 
unto his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I 
will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I 
brought upon the Egyptians, for I am the Lord 
that healeth thee. 

" And the Lord said unto satan, the Lord rebuke 
thee, O satan, even the Lord that hath chosen 
Jerusalem rebuke thee. Verily this is a brand 



148 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS 

plucked out of the fire. Behold his bed, which is 
Solomon's, threescore valiant men are about it, of 
the valiant of Israel, they all grasp the sword, being 
expert in war ; every man hath his sword upon his 
thigh, because of fear in the night." 

After this they repeat the four following ejacu- 
lations three times : — 

" The Lord bless thee and guard thee ! the Lord 
make his face to shine upon thee, and be gracious 
unto thee ! the Lord lift up the light of his coun- 
tenance unto thee, and give thee peace ! 

" Behold, he that guardeth Israel, doth neither 
slumber nor sleep ! 

" For thy salvation have I waited, O Lord ! I 
have waited, O Lord ! for thy salvation. O Lord ! 
for thy salvation have I waited. 

" In the name of the Lord God of Israel, on my 
right hand Michael, and on my left Gabriel ; before 
me Oureal, and behind me Raphael, and at my 
head is the glory of the Almighty." 

Afterwards they say the following Psalm. 

A song of degrees. — "Happy is every one that 
feareth the Lord, that walketh in his ways: when thou 
dost eat the labor of thine hands, happy shalt thou 
be, and it shall be well with thee ; thy wife shall 
be as a fruitful vine, by the sides of thine house ; 
thy children like olive plants around thy table. 
Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed, that 
feareth the Lord. The Lord shall bless thee from 
Zion, and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem, all 
the days of thy life ; yea, thou shalt see thy 
children's children and peace upon Israel." 



OF THE CHIEF JEWISH FESTIVALS, ETC. 149 

Then they repeat three times — " Tremble and sin 
not ; examine your own hearts upon your bed, and 
be still. Selah" 

They then say the following, which ends the 
prayer before going to bed : — " The Lord of the 
world, who reigned before any creature was created, 
at the time when all by his will was made, then 
King his name was called ; and after every thing 
ends, alone he will reign tremendous. He hath 
been, he is, and will be with glory. He is the only 
one, and there is no second to compare or be asso- 
ciated with him. He is without any beginning and 
without end, and to him is the power and sove- 
reignity. He is my God and my living Redeemer, 
and the strong rock of my support in the time of 
trouble. He is my shelter, my refuge, the portion 
of my cup in the day I call. Into his hands do I 
commit my spirit, when I sleep, and when I awake, 
and with my spirit and my body, the Lord is for 
me, and I will not fear." 

Besides the aforesaid prayers, which have their 
stated times of being repeated, as above-mentioned, 
they have divers others, to be said on several oc- 
casions ; for it is a fundamental opinion among 
them, that it is not fit, that man should receive any 
benefit or use from any thing, without giving due 
thanks to the Almighty, who created that thing for 
his use and benefit ; and therefore, if they but 
drink a draught of water, they are obliged to say a 
grace before it, as will now be shewn. 

The first we shall mention is the grace before and 
after meals. 



150 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



Before they sit down to meals, they must wash 
their hands, and say the following grace : — " Blessed 
art thou, O Lord, our God, King of the universe ! 
who hath sanctified us with his commandments, and 
commanded us to cleanse our hands.'' 

Before they eat bread they say, " Blessed art thou, 
O Lord, our God, King of the universe ! who hath 
brought forth bread from the earth." 

Before they partake of any fruit that grows on 
the ground, they say the following grace — " Blessed 
art thou, O Lord, our God, King of the universe ! 
the Creator of the fruit of the earth." And after 
they have eaten, they say the after grace, as for 
fruit that grows on the trees — viz. the Creator of 
numberless souls. 

The grace before the drinking any drinkables, 
except wine, is thus : — " Blessed art thou, O Lord, 
our God, King of the universe ! who hath performed 
all his word."* 

At the sight of a rainbow they say, " Blessed art 
thou, O Lord, our God, King of the universe ! the 
rememberer of his covenant, faithful in the perform- 
ance of his covenant, and his words are permanent." 

At the hearing of thunder, earthquakes or storms, 
they say, " Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, 
King of the universe ! of whose power and might 
the world is full." 

At the sight of uncommon high hills, moun- 
tains and wildernesses, and at lightning, they say, 



• This grace is also made use of before the eating flesh, meat, fowls or 
fish, eggs, cheese, &c. (provided no bread is eaten therewith). The after 
grace is the same as for the fruits of the earth. 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



151 



" Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the 
universe ! the Creator of the first creation." 

It is a principle agreed upon by the Talmudists, 
that mankind are bound to praise the Almighty, for 
any evil which may happen to befall them, as well 
as for the good they receive ; and therefore, if at 
any time (on account of their sins) any evil should 
befall them, or hear any ill tidings, they must, 
nevertheless, praise God, as a true Judge, and ac- 
knowledge that their afflictions are according to the 
strict rules of justice, and say, " Blessed art thou, 
O Lord, our God, King of the universe ! the true 
Judge." 

If they see any person who has recovered from 
a dangerous sickness, they say the following : — 
" Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, King of the 
universe ! who hath restored thee unto us, and not 
given thee to the earth." 

Of their houses, food, and utensils. 

Every Jew is obliged to have upon the posts of 
the door of his house, Mezuzza. This is com- 
manded in Deut. vi. 9, and xi. 20. — "And thou 
shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, 
and upon thy gates." It must be expressly built for 
a dwelling, or they are not bound to fix a Mezuzza 
thereon. Maimonides mentions ten different things 
which are requisite to constitute a dwelling. Every 
door is obliged to have a Mezuzza. The manner in 
which they are made I shall now describe. Two 
portions of scripture, viz. from Deut. vi. 4, to ninth 



152 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



verse inclusively; and from the thirteenth verse of 
the eleventh chapter, to the twenty-first of the same, 
being wrote on vellum, in like manner as the phy- 
lacteries, with Shaddai inscribed upon it. These 
are rolled up, and put in lead, in the form of a 
cylindrical tube, and which by means of two holes 
made in the lead to receive the nails, is thus 
fastened to the posts of their doors, when they must 
say the following grace: "Blessed art thou, O Lord, 
our God, King of the universe! who hath sanctified 
us with his commandments, and commanded us to 
fix the Mezuzza." 

I shall now describe what may, or may not, be 
eaten by them ; as also, how prepared before they 
may eat thereof. In the first place, it must be 
observed, that they may not eat of any beast that 
does not chew the cud, and likewise part the hoof. 

As to fish, they must not eat any, except those 
which have both fins and scales. — Levit. xi. 10. 

With regard to the different species of fowl ; there 
is no particular mark specified in the law, by which 
we may be enabled to distinguish between those 
which are called clean, and those which are unclean. 
— Levit. xiii., and Deut. xiv. 12. But as all the 
different species which may not be eaten are enume- 
rated, consequently all those which are omitted 
may lawfully be eaten. They may not eat any 
blood ; (Deut. xii. 23) ; nothing that dies of itself.* 

* (Lev. xi. 13). — Their cattle are obliged to be killed by a Jew, duly 
qualified and specially appointed for that purpose, and afterwards searched 
by him, in order to ascertain the soundness thereof ; for if the least blemish 
is found therein, they must not eat thereof. 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



153 



If it be found to be in the state required by them, 
it is then called Koesher, and is sealed with a leaden 
seal, on the one side of which is the word Koesher, 
and on the other the day of the week in Hebrew 
characters ; and without such a seal, no Jew will 
purchase meat of a Christian butcher. 

Before it is dressed, they are obliged to let it lay 
half-an-hour in water, and an hour in salt, and then 
rinse the salt off with clean water ; it being strictly 
commanded them not to eat the blood ; and the 
disobeying of this commandment being threatened 
with no less a punishment than excision, they are 
therefore, compelled to act in this manner, in order 
to draw forth the remaining blood which is left 
therein before they eat it. 

They are likewise not allowed to eat the hind 
quarters, even of those beasts, of which they are 
permitted to eat, according to that passage in Gen. 
xxxii. 32. — " Therefore the children of Israel eat 
not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the 
hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because he 
touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew 
that shrank." Therefore, they are not allowed to eat 
of the hind quarters, unless the sinew be taken out, 
which is both troublesome and expensive ; it being 
required to be done by a person duly qualified, and 
specially appointed for that purpose, the same as 
those appointed to kill the cattle, and in conse- 
quence of which it is seldom done. 

Also, they must not, eat meat and butter together. 
This is likewise inferred from the commandment, 
"Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk." 
u 



154 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



Exod. xxiii. 19, and xxxiv. 26, and Deut. xiv. 20. 
For this very reason it is, that they must not eat 
the cheese made by the Christian, that being called, 
meat and butter. All they make is under the 
superintendence of a Jew, and the milk from which 
it is made, is turned in a different manner • there- 
fore, they are obliged to have different utensils, 
both to dress, and to eat their victuals in, even to 
the minutest article : such as knives and forks, 
spoons, &c. the one for meat, the other for butter. 

They must not graft one species of fruit upon a 
tree of a different kind ; such as a peach upon an 
apple tree, or the like ; nor sow different species of 
seed in one bed ; nor suffer different species of cattle 
to engender ; neither may they wear a garment 
made of linen and woollen, that is of the wool of 
sheep, and linen made of flax. All this is grounded 
on the following commandment — "Ye shall keep 
my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender 
with a diverse kind. Thou shalt not sow thy field 
with mingled seed : neither shall a garment mingled 
of linen and woollen come upon thee." — Levit. 
xix. 19. 

Of brotherly love and charity. 

They are expressly commanded in the law — 
"And thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself; I 
am the Lord." 

The rabbinical doctors say, this is equal to the 
commandment — "And thou shalt love the Lord 
thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



155 



and with all thy might." — Deut. vi. 5. For say 
they, these two commandments are, as it were, the 
two pillars, or basis of the law ; for the one com- 
mands our obedience to the Almighty, with our 
whole heart and soul, i. e. that we should submit 
to lay down our lives, rather than forsake the law 
of God ; so the other commands us to love our 
neighbour with all our heart, &c. and which is 
commanded against that negative precept — "Thou 
shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart." This 
hatred is understood by all the Jewish commen- 
tators to proceed from envy ; and what is thought 
to proceed from an injury received from their 
neighbour, is guarded against in the subsequent 
precept of — "Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any 
grudge against the children of thy people." But on 
the contrary, if they receive an injury from one 
another, they are obliged to forgive each other ; 
and in no wise to bear any malice or animosity to- 
wards each other. Nay, so far from it, that if they 
chance to see their enemy's ox or ass go astray, 
they are commanded to bring it back to him; or if 
they see the ass of him that hates them lying under 
his burthen, they dare not forbear to help him ; 
and therefore, those two precepts, viz. the love and 
reverence we owe to the Almighty, and the love 
we ought to bear towards our neighbour, are ac- 
counted the basis, both of the moral and ceremo- 
nial law. 

They are expressly commanded to relieve the 
necessities of their poor, not only by giving them 
charity, but also in lending them sufficient for their 



156 



FORMS, MANNERS AND 



need, and that without usury ; and if he should 
pledge his garment with him, (which garment is 
understood to be a covering for his bed, as the 
poor and needy have no other to spare in the day 
time) , he must return it to him by the time that the 
sun goes down. 

They are also commanded not to shave the cor- 
ners of their beard. This appears from the following 
text, " Ye shall not round the corners of your head; 
neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard." 

Neither may they print any marks upon their flesh. 

They may not take the dam with the young, if 
they chance to find a nest, whether it consists of 
eggs or young ones ; that it may be well with them, 
and that they may prolong their days. 

Courtship, marriages, and ceremonies. 

Every Jew is obliged to enter into the marriage 
state. The proper time for entering into that state ? 
as allowed by the Rabbies, is the age of eighteen. 
A man that lives single till he is twenty, is looked 
upon as profligate, unless he makes it appear, that 
he cannot find a person that suits the disposition of 
his mind. It is likewise the duty of a female to 
enter into the marriage state at the same age. This 
institution is grounded upon the special command 
of the Almighty to our first parents — "Be fruitful 
and multiply, and replenish the earth." — Gen. i. 28. 

It is a custom, if a young man can find a woman 
according to his mind, and they both agree on this 
point, they make no scruple to inform their parents, 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS, 



157 



or near relations of the circumstance. If they have 
no parents, they inform their nearest relations of 
their mutual intentions. Tf the parents or relations 
find it a suitable connexion, they will readily agree ; 
and if it happens otherwise, or unless they find it to be 
altogether an unequal yoke, then they will not give 
their consent. Sometimes it may happen, that 
love has taken a deep root on both sides. If so, and 
their friends not approving of the union, then they 
sometimes break through the rule in this way : a 
young man and young woman can go to any Jew's 
house of their acquaintance, and if they can find 
two males under the same roof, who are known to 
be devout men in their religion, the young man 
will adopt the following plan, (which is as well 
understood by the young woman) . He will endeavor 
to get into conversation, and when it suits his 
conveniency, the young man will take a ring, and 
put it on the young woman's fore-finger of her right 
hand, and will utter certain words in Hebrew, to 
this purpose — " With this ring I wed thee." This, 
although it may seem strange, is a lawful marriage, 
to all intents and purposes ; but still it is reckoned 
disgraceful. It seldom happens, after such a mar- 
riage, but the friends mutually agree to have it 
celebrated in public. 

It is customary for the bride and bridegroom to 
be betrothed, sometimes six months, or a year before 
marriage, according to circumstances, as agreed on 
by the parties ; during which time the bridegroom 
visits his bride, but without any intimate commu- 
nion. Indeed, it is almost reckoned unchaste among 



158 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



the body, for a young man and young woman to 
walk together in public without being betrothed. 

The following is the manner in which they are 
betrothed to each other. According to appointment, 
both parties invite their nearest relations, and the 
heads of the synagogue. There is a scribe present, 
who draws up an agreement between the bride and 
bridegroom. A certain day is fixed when they shall 
be joined in wedlock; and on this bond, it is agreed 
by a certain fine, sometimes from fifty to five 
hundred pounds penalty, that if the bridegroom 
forsakes the bride, or the bride the bridegroom, 
unless by the consent of both parties, such penalty 
will be inflicted. 

I must mention, that at the time of these betroth- 
ings, there is great feasting and rejoicing. It is not 
among the Jews and Jewesses as it is among other 
classes of people, to keep their courtship secret ; 
nay, quite the contrary, for generally a day after 
they are betrothed, the bride and bridgroom are 
busily engaged in informing all their friends and rela- 
tions of the happy event that has taken place. 

It is lawful for first cousins to marry. An uncle 
may also marry his niece; but an aunt must not 
marry her nephew. The reason is obvious, that the 
law of nature must not be reversed. For when the 
uncle marries his niece, the same person remains 
at the head who was so before ; but when the 
nephew marries his aunt, he becomes, as it were, 
her head, and she must pay homage to him, by 
which the law of nature is reversed. 

On the day appointed for the celebration of the 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



159 



nuptials, the bride and bridegroom are conducted 
to the place appointed for the nuptial ceremony ; 
the bridegroom by the men, and the bride by the 
women. There are generally assembled all, or most 
of their relations and acquaintance ; for they gene- 
rally invite a great many, as they are obliged to 
have at least ten men present ; otherwise the mar- 
riage is null and void. When all the company are 
assembled, and the priest and reader of the syna- 
gogue come, the ceremony is performed in the 
following manner. A velvet canopy is brought 
into the room, supported by four long poles, under 
which the bride and bridegroom are led in the 
following order. The bridegroom being supported 
by two friends, one under each arm, and the bride 
by two women ; which two men, and two women 
are always the parents of the bride and and bride- 
groom, if living, otherwise the nearest kindred ; 
one man and wife for the bride, and the other for 
the bridegroom. The bridegroom is invariably led 
by the men, and the bride by the women, she having 
her face covered by a veil, in token of female 
modesty. The bride being in this manner led by 
the women under the canopy, is placed opposite 
the bridegroom. The priest then takes a glass of 
wine in his hand, and says as follows — " Blessed 
art thou, O Lord, our God, King of the universe ! 
the Creator of the fruit of the vine. Blessed art 
thou, O Lord, our God, King of the universe ! 
who hath sanctified us with his commandments, 
and hath forbid us fornication, and hath prohibited 
unto us the betrothed, but hath allowed unto us 



160 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



those that are married by the means of the canopy, 
and wedding ring. Blessed art thou, O Lord! 
sanctifier of his people Israel, by the means of the 
canopy and the wedlock. 

" Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, King of the 
universe! who hast created joy and gladness; bride- 
groom and bride ; delight and song ; pleasure and 
sympathy; love and brotherhood; peace and friend- 
ship. Speedily, O Lord, our God ! let there be 
heard in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of 
Jerusalem, the voice of joy, and the voice of glad- 
ness ; the voice of the briclegroom, and the voice of 
the bride ; the voice of the merriment of the bride- 
grooms from out of their canopies, and youths from 
their musical feasts. Blessed art thou, O Lord ! 
the rejoicer of the bridegroom with the bride." 

Then the bridegroom and the bride drink of the 
wine ; after which the bridegroom takes the ring, 
and puts it on the bride's finger, in the presence of 
all who stand round the canopy, and says, "Behold 
thou art betrothed unto me with this ring, according 
to the rites of Moses and Israel. Then the instru- 
ment of the marriage contract is read, which spe- 
cifies that the bridegroom, A. B. doth agree to take 
the bride C. D. as his lawful wife, according to the 
law of Moses and Israel; and that he will keep, 
maintain, honor, and cherish her, according to the 
manner of all the Jews, who honor, keep, maintain, 
and cherish their wives, and keep her in clothing 
decently, according to the manner and custom of 
the world. It likewise specifies what sum he settles 
upon her, in case of his death; and he therein 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



161 



obliges his heirs, executors, administrators, &c. to 
pay the same to her out of the first produce of his 
effects. The reader then drinks another glass of 
wine, and after a prayer, the bride and bridegroom 
drink of the wine. The empty glass is then laid upon 
the ground, and the bridegroom stamps od, and 
breaks it. The intent and meaning of which cere- 
mony is, to remind them of death, to whose power 
frail mortals must yield, sooner or later ; and, there- 
fore, to induce them to lead such a life as not to be 
terrified at the approach of death. 

This being over, all present cry out, Mozol Touv, i. e. 
may it turn out happily ; which ends the ceremony. 

It is not uncommon to see congregated at the 
weddings or marriages, from three to four hundred 
individuals, of both sexes, who come gaily attired. 
Most generally these entertainments, particularly 
in London, are kept in places of note ; such as the 
Britannia Inn, London Tavern, &c. &c. A very 
sumptuous dinner is provided for them. It is a rule 
a month before the marriage day, for the bride and 
bridegroom, and their relations, to send circulars to 
their numerous acquaintances. For instance ; Mr. 
Aaron Levi and Rebecca Josephs present their com- 
pliments, that they are to be joined in wedlock on 
such a day ; their company is requested to the cere- 
monies of their nuptials, and likewise to dinner, 
tea, and ball ; and the evening following likewise, 
to tea and ball. N.B. The ceremony of the nuptials 
will take place precisely at two o'clock in the day, 
at such a place, according to appointment. 

For a stranger to behold a Jew's wedding, would 
x 



162 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



strike him with wonder, particularly during the 
time of the ceremony of the nuptials. What with 
the solemn scene, and band of music playing solemn 
Jewish melody, and the grand appearance of the 
company, I should not be surprised that many 
would say, "As rich as Jews." It must be under- 
stood, that a beholder could not tell if the parties so 
married, were rich or poor. It is not uncommon 
but that those weddings come to some considerable 
expense; as none come unless they give a present, 
either of money or plate, according to each one's 
circumstances. It is generally calculated, that the 
presents so received will cover the expenses, &c. 

The form of giving Chalitsa. 

When a man dies childless, his widow is not to 
marry a stranger, but is left to the brother of the 
deceased, who either marries her, or gives her 
leave to marry another man. 

This is grounded on the following passage, Deut. 
xxv. 5, 6. — "If brethren dwell together, and one of 
them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead 
shall not marry without unto a stranger : her hus- 
band's brother shall go in unto her, and take her 
to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband's 
brother unto her. And it shall be, that the first- 
born which she beareth shall succeed in the name 
of his brother which is dead, that his name be not 
put out of Israel." Now this is to be understood 
in this way: that both the brothers, i. e. the de- 
ceased, and likewise the surviving brother, must 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



163 



have their being upon earth at one and at the same 
time ; but if the brother should happen to be born 
after the decease of the other, it is not then to be 
observed, because it cannot be said, "to dwell 
together," for evidently their dwelling, i. e. their 
being, was not together. The marrying such a 
widow is called Zibum, which word signifies to 
marry a sister-in-law. But if the brother does not 
choose to marry her, she must not marry another 
man without his first setting her at liberty. 

This ceremony of giving a brother's wife leave to 
marry again, is Chalitsa, i. e. the loosing of the shoe, 
according to the following passage in Deut. xxv. 9. 
— "Then shall his brother's wife come unto him in 
the presence of the elders, #nd loose his shoe from 
off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer 
and say, so shall it be done unto that man that 
will not build up his brother's house." 

The ceremony is performed in the following 
manner : — a proper place having been fixed upon 
the evening before, by three Rabbies, they with the 
witnesses, are attended next day, after morning 
prayers, by the congregation; for if the ceremony 
is performed by night, it is not valid. The Rabbies 
being seated, order the widow and brother-in-law 
before them, who declare that they are come to be 
set at liberty ; the one from espousing, the other 
from being espoused; when the Rabbi, after a long 
examination, finds the man determined not to marry 
the widow, he asks him no more questions. The 
man then puts on a shoe, by order of the Rabbi ; (I 
give the reader to understand, this shoe is made 



164 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



from black cloth list, which is knitted in a peculiar 
manner) ; then he takes it off again to unravel, 
which is a very troublesome job. For he must un- 
ravel it, by making use only of his two thumbs and 
two little fingers, which is not a very pleasant task. 
This ends the ceremony, and the widow is then at 
liberty to marry again. 

The form of divorcement. 

The form of those divorces, which are called 
Ghet, must be wrote by one of their notaries, with 
the concurrence of three Rabbies, and there are 
several rules to be observed in regard to the manner ; 
namely, that it must be wrote on ruled vellum, and 
contain exactly twelve lines, and no more, It must 
also, be wrote expressly for, and on account of a 
bill of divorce ; and must likewise, make mention 
of the place of residence of both man and wife. It 
is also required, that the notary, the Rabbies, and 
the witnesses should not be related, either to the 
husband, the wife, or each other. 

The substance of the Ghet, i. e. the bill of divorcement. 

Such a day of the week, month, year, and place, 
(all which must be in a particular manner specified) . 
"I, A. B., the son of C. D., and whose place of 
abode on this present day, is in the city of L., &c. do 
voluntarily divorce thee, and put thee away, and 
make thee free. Thee, CD., the daughter of B. L., 
whose place of residence is this day, in the city of 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



165 



L., &c. who hast hitherto been my wife ; and behold 
by this act thou art divorced, put away, and made 
free. And I do hereby permit thee to marry whom 
thou pleasest ; and no man shall have power to 
hinder thee from this day forward. And, behold, 
thou art free to any man ; and this instrument 
shall be unto thee a bill of divorcement, putting 
away, and freedom, according to the law of Moses 
and Israel." 

The form being drawn up, the Rabbi sounds the 
husband, in order to know whether he doth this 
voluntarily. If such be the fact, then there must 
be ten witnesses present at the reading and signing, 
besides the two who subscribe to the instrument. 

The husband must deliver the Ghet into the 
woman's hand, and as he delivers it, must express 
himself in the following manner: — "Behold, this is 
thy bill of divorcement, and thou art herewith 
divorced from me, and art free to any other man." 
The Rabbi then lays an injunction on the woman, 
not to marry in less than ninety days, lest she 
should be with child. 

It often happens, that the husband is in another 
country, perhaps, beyond sea; then notwithstanding, 
he can send his wife a bill of divorcement by a 
messenger; but then he must be specially appointed; 
must be present to witness the husband's order to 
the notary to write the bill ; he must also be present 
at the writing, and signing thereof. After which he 
receives the bill from the husband in the presence 
of two subscribing witnesses, the husband declaring 
as follows : — 



166 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



4 'Take this bill of divorcement, and deliver it to 
my wife, in any place where thou canst find her, 
and thy hand shall be as mine ; thy mouth as mine ; 
thy act as my act, and thy delivery as my delivery; 
and I authorize and empower thee, even to appoint 
another messenger, if needful, in order that, the 
divorcement may reach her hands, and instantly that 
the divorcement does reach her hands, either from 
thy hands, or from the hands of thy messenger, she 
is divorced from me, and is free to any other man." 

When the messenger delivers the divorcement, 
he must do it in the presence of two witnesses, and 
must deliver it himself, in the following manner ■ — 
"Behold, this is thy bill of divorcement, which thy 
husband hath sent unto thee, and thou art herewith 
divorced from him ; and art free to any other man ; 
and this bill of divorcement was wrote and signed 
in my presence." 

The Jews sometimes marry their children very 
young, and then they must stay till they are of a 
proper age, before the marriage can be consummated. 
Hence, when a girl, under ten years of age, happens 
to marry a man she does not like, she is entitled to 
a divorce, till she comes to be twelve years and a 
day old, which is the time when women are declared 
of age. 

She has only to say, that she will not have such 
a man ; this she does before two witnesses, who set 
down her declaration in writing, and deliver unto 
her what is called a divorcement of dislike ; she is 
then at liberty to marry whoever she pleases. 

I must now give my readers to understand the 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



167 



custom of marrying children at such a tender age. 

This has been a common practice for many years 
in the kingdom of Poland ; but at the present time 
it is discontinued, by the order of the Legislature. 

I must here mention, that when the husband and 
the wife are thus divorced by mutual consent, on 
various occasions, (except for a woman committing 
adultery, which to the credit of their sex, is a very 
rare occurrence) they may afterwards, if they think 
proper, be re-united again, and this has not un- 
frequently been the case. 

So particular are the Jews on this point, that if 
the least clue appears, of a woman being unchaste, 
and can be proved, the husband is obliged to be 
divorced ; and if the husband covers her fault, by 
keeping her, the law forbids it. A woman thus 
divorced is at liberty to marry any man she pleases, 
except the individual with whom she committed 
adultery. Divorcement of this sort must be plainly 
proved, before it can take place. 

The rules of the synagogues. 

A synagogue having five hundred seats, will bring 
in on an average two guineas per seat, thus yielding 
one thousand guineas annually. The high seats, 
which Christ said were loved by many, are those 
near the holy of holies, which stands towards the 
east, and is set apart for the keeping the Pentateuch. 
The lowest seat is that next the^loor. The charge 
of sittings are determined by their situation, and 
varies from two to fifteen guineas each. One has 



168 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



a locker, in which the holder deposits his phylac- 
teries, veil, garment, books, &c. In addition to the 
charge already mentioned, taxes are levied on each 
seat, among which are the following five shillings 
in the pound, to supply the necessitous Jews with 
unleavened bread, during the eight days of the 
passover, &c, , 

A great part of the money collected at the syna- 
gogue, is given in charity to infirm and aged Jews, 
in weekly stipends. It is worthy of remark, that 
the poor and rich receive the same honor at their 
marriages and burials, if their conduct be consistent 
with their profession. 

When a Jew dies, rich and poor meet on those 
occasions. When any of the Jews assembled can- 
not follow the corpse to the grave, a pail of water 
and a jug is brought, with which they may wash 
each others hands. The first takes the water and 
throws it over the hands of the next, three times, 
but he must not touch them with the vessel ; this 
is afterwards placed on the ground, when he who 
is washed takes it up, and does the same for him 
who washed him, and thus the process of ablution 
is carried on through the whole. 

The coffins of the rich and poor are made of four 
deal boards, merely planed over to prevent splinters 
running into the hands. The shrouds are gene- 
rally made of wool, but some of the more wealthy 
are buried in fine linen. The Jews have no walking 
funerals, and no difference is apparent between 
those of the poor and the rich, except relatives or 
friends of the latter should follow them in carriages. 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



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It is by no means uncommon for a corpse to be 
followed by a multitude, consisting of from a hun- 
dred to a thousand persons, as may frequently be 
seen in the Whitechapel Road, in the neighbour- 
hood of which are several Jewish burying-grounds. 

Publicity is given to a case of dissolution in two 
ways. One is by its announcement in the synagogue ; 
for when a person is known to have died, the clerk 
stops in the midst of the prayer, and with a loud 
voice mentions the name, the spot where the corpse 
lies, and the hour of interment. The other is more 
remarkable : — one of the Jews belonging to the 
synagogue goes into the places crowded with people, 
having a copper money-box in the shape of a half- 
gallon cask, secured by a lock and key, with a 
niche large enough to admit a penny piece. The 
peculiar sound of the box when shaken, intimates 
that some one is dead. The Jews, therefore, flock 
around him, make every inquiry, and cast into the 
box what they please. This is always done, unless 
the departed was an illegitimate child, a person of 
very impure life, or one grossly negligent of Jewish 
forms. In this case, seldom more than eight or 
nine follow him to the grave. So infamous, indeed, 
is it to be an exception to the custom just alluded 
to, that it is sometimes mentioned after, as branding 
even distant relations, with a kind of infamy and 
disgrace, which, when Jews quarrel, may be, even 
in the synagogue ; one will sometimes say to the 
other, " I know something about you, don't unlock 
my lips, or I will disgrace you," and when he is 
dared to utter all he knows, it is not uncommon to 

Y 



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FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



reply, if it cannot be charged on a nearer relation, 
' ' Why your great grandfather, or your fourth cousin 
died, and the box did not go for him." Females 
very rarely, or never, attend a corpse to the grave, 
but it is heart-rending to witness their mourning. 
When the males retire, they all sit on the ground, 
and a hard boiled egg is cut in pieces among them. 
Their posture is continued for seven days, during 
which, visitors come, sometimes to the number of 
a thousand, to afford consolation ; and should the 
party visited be poor, refreshment or money is 
usually given secretly. The light placed at the side 
of the corpse is kept in for one and thirty days, as 
Aaron was mourned for during that time ; it is 
called the light of the departed spirit, and according 
to the clearness or dimness of the flame, they de- 
termine its comfort or discomfort. For the first 
seven days a congregation assembles, night and 
morning, and every morning the water and napkins 
are changed, under the idea that the spirit comes 
and purifies himself with them. Every anniversary 
too, a light must burn in the same way, for four 
and twenty hours ; a fast also must be kept for that 
time, and the synagogue visited night and morning, 
to say Kodesh (prayers) in its behalf. 

I will here insert a selection of prayers used in 
the synagogue at different periods. 

The following prayer is said after every service 
during the year, particularly on sabbaths and fes- 
tivals, it is chaunted by the congregation at large, 
and have generally set tunes. 

" Extolled and praised be the living God! who 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



171 



exists unbounded by time. He is ONE ! of unpa- 
rallel amity, invincible, and eternal — without form 
or figure — -incorporeal — holy beyond conception — 
prior to all created things — the first — without date 
or beginning. Lo ! he is Lord of the world, and all 
creation ! which evince his greatness and dominion 
— the flow of his prophetic spirit has he imparted to 
men, selected for his glory, but no one has appeared 
in Israel like unto Moses — a prophet beholding his 
glorious semblance. God has given his true law to 
his people by the hands of his trusty prophet ; the 
law of God will never alter nor change for any other. 
He perceives, and is acquainted with our secrets — 
sees the end of all things at their very beginning. 
He rewards man with kindness according to his 
work — dispenses punishment to the wicked accord- 
ing to his misdeeds. At the end of days will he send 
our Messiah, to redeem those who hope for final 
salvation. God, in his great mercy, will recall the 
dead to life. Praised be his glorious name for 
evermore. 

4 'My God ! the soul which thou hast given unto 
me is pure; thou hast created, formed, and breathed 
it into me; thou dost also carefully preserve it 
within me, and thou wilt hereafter take it from me, 
to restore it unto me in futurity. During the time 
that my soul continues within me, will I be making 
acknowledgments to thee, O Lord, my God, and 
the God of my ancestors! Sovereign of all creation! 
Lord of all souls ! Blessed art thou, O Lord ! who 
restorest the souls unto dead bodies. 

"Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, King of 



172 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



the universe ! who grantest to the cock understand- 
ing to distinguish between day and night. 

" Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, King of 
the universe ! who hast not made me an heathen. 

" Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, King of 
the universe ! who hast not made me a slave. 

"Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, King of 
the universe ! who hast not made me a woman. 

The women say, "Blessed art thou, O Lord, 
our God, King of the universe ! who hath made 
us according to his will. 

"Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, King of 
the universe ! who clothest the naked. 

"Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, King of 
the universe ! who openest the eyes of the blind. 

"May it be thy will, O Lord, our God, and the 
God of our fathers ! to cause us to become habi- 
tuated to thy law, and attached to thy precepts. O 
lead us not into the power of sin, transgression, or 
iniquity ; temptation, or contempt. Suffer not evil 
imagination to have dominion over us ; but place us 
at a distance from evil men and wicked associates ; 
cause us to become attached to good intentions and 
good works ; and coerce our passions to be subser- 
vient unto thee. O grant us this day, and every 
day, grace, favor, and mercy, in thy sight, and in 
the sight of all who behold us ; and dispense kind 
favors upon us. Blessed art thou, O Lord ! who 
bestowest gracious favors on thy people Israel. 

"May it be thy pleasure, O Lord, my God, and 
the God of my fathers ! to deliver me this day, and 
every day, from men of daring countenance, and 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



173 



audacity ; from evil men — from evil associates — 
from evil neighbours — from evil occurrences — and 
from the destructive tempter — from a rigorous 
judge, or a harsh accuser, whether he be, or be 
not, a son of the covenant. 

"Sovereign of all worlds ! it is not on account of 
our righteousness that we presume to lay our sup- 
plications before thee, but on thy abundant mercies. 
What are we ? what our life ? what our favor ? 
what our righteousness ? what is our help ? what 
our power? what shall we say in thy presence, O 
Lord, our God, and the God of our fathers? Verily 
the mightiest heroes are as nought before thee ; 
men of renown, as though they had not existed ; 
wise men, as without knowledge ; and the intelli- 
gent, as if void of understanding. For the majo- 
rity of their actions is emptiness; the days of their 
life but vanity in thy presence ; even the pre-emi- 
nence of man over beast is nought ; for all is vanity. 

' 'Verily we, thy people, are children of thy 
covenant — the children of Abraham, thy beloved ; 
to whom thou didst swear on Moriah, the seed of 
Isaac, his only son, who was bound upon the altar. 
The congregation of Jacob, thy first-born son, 
whom, from the love wherewith thou didst love him, 
and the joy wherewith thou didst rejoice in him; 
thou didst call his name Tsrael and Jeshurum. 

"We, therefore, are in duty bound to give thanks 
unto thee ; to praise thee ; to praise, glorify, bless, 
and sanctify thee ; and to oner praise and thanks- 
givings to thy name. O happy we ! how goodly 
our portion ; how pleasant our lot ! and how beau- 



174 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



tiful is our inheritance ! O happy we, who rise 
early in the morning, and attend late in the evening; 
twice every day, to proclaim* — Hear, O Israel, the 
Lord, our God, is ONE ! 

4 4 Blessed be the name of his glorious kingdom ! 
for ever and ever. 

"Thou didst exist e'er thou hadst created the 
world ; and thou art the same after its creation. 
Thou art God in this world, and thou art God in 
the world to come. O sanctify thy name with 
those who hallow thy name; sanctify thy name 
throughout thy world; and thus by thy salvation 
wilt thou exalt and raise on high our horn. Blessed 
art thou, O Lord ! who sanctifiest thy name amidst 
multitudes. 

"Thou art the Lord, our God! in heaven, and 
on the earth, and in the highest heavens. Verily, 
thou art the first, and thou art the last, and besides 
thee there is no God. O gather those who confide 
in thee from the four corners of the earth ; then 
shall the inhabitants of the world know and acknow- 
ledge, that thou alone art God over all the king- 
doms of the earth. Thou hast made the heavens 
and the earth, the sea, and all that in them is ; who 
from among all the works of thy hands, whether 
from above or below, can say unto thee, what 
doest thou ? Our father, who art in heaven, be 
gracious unto us, for the sake of thy great name, 
whereafter we are called, and confirm unto us, O 
Lord, our God ! that which is written, at that time 
I will bring you again, and at the time when I 

* Deut. vi, 4. 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



175 



assemble you, surely I will appoint you for a name, 
and a praise among all the people of the earth, 
when I cause your captivity to return before your 
eyes, saith the Lord ! 

" Thou, O Lord, hast been the help of our fathers 
from eternity, a shield and a Saviour, unto their 
children after them, throughout all generations. 
Thy throne is in the highest sphere of the universe, 
and thy judgments and righteousness extend unto 
the remotest boundaries of the earth. Happy the 
man, who hearkeneth unto thy commandments, and 
layeth thy law and thy word in his heart. Verily 
thou art the Lord of thy people, and a mighty 
King to defend their cause ; yea, thou art the first, 
and thou art the last, and besides thee, we have 
neither King, Redeemer, nor Saviour. Thou didst 
redeem us, O Lord, our God ! from Egypt, and 
from the house of bondage didst thou deliver us ; 
all their first-born didst thou slay, but thy first- 
born didst thou redeem ; thou didst divide the Red 
Sea, didst drown the proud, and didst cause thy 
beloved people to pass through the sea, and the 
waters to cover their enemies, so that not one of 
them escaped. For this the beloved people praise 
and glorify God ! and the clearly beloved nation 
utter psalms, songs and praises ; blessings and 
thanksgivings, unto the living King, and eternal 
God ! the high, the exalted, the great and tremen- 
dous ; who casteth down the proud and raiseth the 
humble ; delivereth the captive, redeemeth the 
meek, helpeth the poor, and doth deign to answer 
his people at the time when they cry out unto him, 



176 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



' Praise be to the most high God, blessed and ever 
to be blessed is he,' and with great glee did Moses, 
and the children of Israel, chaunt forth a song unto 
thee ; and they exclaimed — 

" Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the 
mighty ? Who is like unto thee : glorious in holi- 
ness ! tremendous in praises ! working miracles ? 

" A new hymn did the succoured people sing to 
thy name upon the sea shore, unanimously did they 
all hail thy Majesty! and said, the Lord shall reign 
for ever and ever ! 

" O thou, rock of Israel; arise for the help of 
Israel; and according to thy promise, redeem Judah 
and~ Israel. Our Redeemer is the Lord of hosts ! 
the holy one of Israel is his name ! Blessed art 
thou, O Lord, who hath redeemed Israel ! 

" Come, my beloved, to meet the bride ; the 
presence of the sabbath let us receive. 

Come, my beloved, fyc. 

" Keep, and remember, as to one commandment 
attached, did the sole Omnipotent cause us to hear, 
the Lord is ONE, for renown, for glory, and for 
praise. Come, fyc. 

" To meet the sabbath come let us go, for it is 
the source of blessing; appointed at the beginning, 
at the earliest time ; last in creation, but first in 
design. Come, fyc. 

" Thou kingly temple ! thou royal city! arise, come 
forth from thy subversion ; long, long enough hast 
thou dwelt in the vale of tears, in pity will he 
compassionate thee. Come, fyc. 

" Shake the dust from thee, arise, clothe thyself 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



177 



in glorious apparel, O my people ; for by the hand 
of Jesse the Bethlehernite, will redemption draw 
nigh to my soul. Come, fyc. 

" Arouse ! arouse ! thy light is come ; arise and 
shine. Awake ! awake ! chaunt a hymn ; the glory 
of the Lord is revealing upon thee. Come, fyc. 

"Be not abashed, he not ashamed, why art thou 
cast down? why art thou disquieted? In thee shall the 
poor of my people take refuge, and the city, (Jeru- 
salem), on her own ruins be built. Come, 8fc. 

"And thy spoilers shall become a spoil — thy 
rapacious enemies be far away removed — thy God 
will rejoice in thee, as the bridegroom rejoiceth in 
his bride. Come, Sfc. 

"To the right and to the left shalt thou extend, 
and the eternal God wilt thou adore ; thus through 
the means of a man, the son of Periz* shall we be 
made to rejoice and be glad. Come, Sfc. 

"Come, then, in peace, thou crown of thy hus- 
band ! Come with joy, and with mirth, into the 
midst of a faithful and chosen people. Come, then, 
O bride ! Come, then, O bride ! Come, 8fc. 

"Reader. Bless ye the Lord ! who is ever blessed. 

" Congregation. Blessed be the Lord ! who is 
blessed for ever and evermore. 

"Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, King of 
the universe ! who, by a word, maketh the evening 
approach with twilight ; who with wisdom openeth 
the gates of the heavens, and with understanding 
altereth the seasons, changeth the times, regulateth 



z 



* David's ancestor. 



178 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



the stars, and placeth them in their orbits in the 
firmament ; all according to his will. The Creator 
of day and night ; who makes the night revolve 
before the darkness, and the darkness from before 
the light ; making the day pass away, and bringing 
forth the night ; thus making a distinction between 
day and night. The Lord of Hosts ! is his name. 
The omnipotent, living, and ever-existing God ! He 
will continually reign over us for evermore. Blessed 
art thou, O Lord ! who bringeth on the evening. 

"With everlasting love hast thou loved the house 
of Israel, thy people. Laws and commandments, 
statutes and judgments hast thou taught us ; there- 
fore, O Lord, our God ! whenever we lie down, 
and whenever we rise up, will we discourse of thy 
statutes, and we will rejoice in the words of thy 
law, and in thy commandments for ever and ever; 
for they are our life, and the prolongation of our 
days ; and in them will we meditate day and night. 
O ! withdraw not thy love from us, ever. Blessed 
art thou, O Lord ! who lovest his people Israel. 
O omnipotent, faithful King ! 

"All this is truth and certainty, and established 
with us, that the Lord is our God ! and there is 
none besides him, and that we (Israel), are his 
people. He hath redeemed us from the hands of 
kings ; he is our King ! who hath delivered us from 
the power of tyrants. The Omnipotent ! who en- 
tailed vengeance for us on our adversaries, and who 
requited the due reward unto all those who hate us ; 
who effects great deeds beyond research, and won- 
ders without number. Who hath appointed life for 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



179 



our souls, suffering not our feet to slip. Who led 
us to tread on the high places of our enemies, and 
exalted our horn over all those who hated us. Who, 
for our sakes, effected miracles and vengeance on 
Pharaoh ; prodigies and tokens in the land of the 
children of Ham ; who in his wrath smote all the first- 
born of Egypt, and brought out his people Israel 
from among them to partial freedom ; by conducting 
his children through the divisions of the Red Sea ; 
and causing their pursuers and their enemies to 
sink in the deep. When his children beheld his 
mighty power, gratefully did they praise his name; 
with pleasure acknowledged him their Sovereign. 
Moses, and the children of Israel repeated hymns 
to thee with gladness and abundant joy ; unani- 
mously they exclaimed — 

"Who is like unto thee, O Lord! among the 
mighty. Who is like unto thee ! glorious in holiness ! 
tremendous in praises ! working miracles ! 

"Thy sovereignty did thy children behold, when 
thou didst divide the sea for Moses. This is my 
God, they proclaimed, and said, 'The Lord will 
reign for ever and ever.' 

"Thus it is written, 'For the Lord hath redeemed 
Jacob, and delivered him from the hand that was 
stronger than he.' Blessed art thou, O Lord! the 
Redeemer of Israel. 

"O Lord, our God! cause us to lie down in 
peace, and raise us up again. O our King, alive ! 
O spread thy pavilion of peace over us ; uphold us 
with thy good counsel, and help us, for thy name's 
sake. Protect us, and remove away from us, foes, 



180 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



pestilence, war, famine, and grief. O remove the 
enticer, (satan), from being about us, and cover us 
under the shadow of thy Avings ; for thou, O God ! 
art our keeper and deliverer. Thou, O Omnipotent ! 
art a most merciful and gracious King ! preserve 
our going forth, and our coming in, to life and 
peace, for now, and for evermore. O spread over 
us thy tabernacle of peace. Blessed art thou, O 
Lord ! who extendeth the tabernacle of peace over 
us, and over all his people Israel, and over Jerusalem. 

4 'In the morn will I seek thee, my rock and my 
tower ; my mornings and evenings will I devote to 
thee. Before thy Majesty do I stand and tremble ; 
for thine eyes perceive all the cogitations of my 
heart. What can the heart and tongue effect? 
What my power ? What the spirit within me ? But 
the song of man is pleasing to thee ; therefore, will 
I praise thee as long as the divine soul within 
me be. 

"I call upon thee, for thou wilt answer me. O 
God ! incline thine ear unto me, and hear my prayer. 
Through righteousness shall I behold thy counte- 
nance, and when I awake, enjoy thy divine likeness; 
for in thee have I trusted, O Lord ! I said, thou 
art my God ! O hear the voice of my supplications, 
when I cry unto thee ; when I lift up my hands 
towards thine holy oracle. I have cried unto thee, 

God, Lord, my God ! and thou hast healed me. 

1 will call unto thee, O Lord ! and unto my Lord 
will I make my supplication. O cause thy counte- 
nance to shine upon thy servant ; save me with 
thy tender mercy ; for unto thee, O Lord ! do I 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



181 



hope thou wilt answer me, O Lord, my God ! Hear 
my prayer, O Lord ! give ear unto my cry, and be 
not silent to my tears. Hear, O Lord ! and be 
gracious unto me. O Lord ! be assistant unto me. 

" Universal Lord ! who the sceptre swayed, 

E're creation's first wond'rous form was fram'd; 
When by his will divine, all things were made, 

Then — King' ! Almighty ! was his name proclaim'd. 
When all shall cease, and this world's system o'er 

Tremendously then he alone will reign : 
Who was, who is, and who will evermore. 

In glory most refulgent still remain. 
Sole God ! unequalled and beyond compare. 

Without division or associate ; 
Without commencing date or final year, 

Omnipotent he reigns in awful state, 
He is my God ! my living Redeemer, 

My sheltering rock in misfortune's hour, 
My standard, my refuge, and protector : 

My lot's disposer, when I seek his power, 
Into his hands, my spirit I consign, 

Whilst wrapt in sleep, that I again awake, 
And with my spirit, my body I resign ; — 
- The Lord's with me, no fear my soul can shake. 

" Incline thine ear, O my God I and hear, open 
thine eyes and behold our desolation, and that of 
the city which is called by thy name. We presume 
not to present our supplications before thee on ac- 
count of our righteousness, but trusting on thy 
great mercy. Hear, O Lord ! pardon, O Lord ! 
attend, O Lord! and grant our request. Delay not, 
for thine own sake, O my God 1 for it is thy holy 
name which designates thy city and thy people. 



182 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



Our Father, merciful Father, shew unto us a kind 
token, and gather our dispersions from the four cor- 
ners of the earth. Then shall all nations know and ac- 
knowledge that thou, O Lord, art our God, and at 
the present time, O Lord, art thou our Father. We 
are but clay, and thou hast formed us ; we all are 
the work of thy hands, save us for thy name sake, 
O our Creator, King and Redeemer ! have compas- 
sion on thy people ; yield not thine heritage to 
shame, suffering the nations to rule over them : 
wherefore should it be said among the people, where 
is their God? We are conscious that we have 
sinned, and that no one can defend us : O let thy 
great name support us in time of trouble. We are 
destitute of good works. O yet for the sake of thy 
holy name, act charitably with us. As a father doth 
compassionate his children, so have compassion on 
as, O Lord, and save us for thy name sake. O have 
pity on thy people, be merciful to thine heritage. 
O spare us, we beseech thee, according to thy 
abundant mercy ; be gracious unto us, and answer 
us, for righteousness is thine, O Lord ! wonder 
working at all times. 

" Look, we beseech thee ; have compassion on 
thy people speedily, for thy name sake, and through 
thine abundant mercy. O Lord, our God ! have 
pity, commiseration, and save the sheep of thy 
pasture. Suffer not thine anger to prevail against 
us, for our eyes are constantly looking towards 
thee. O save us, for thy name sake, have mercy on 
us, for the sake of thy covenant, look down upon 
us, and answer us in time of trouble • for thine, 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



183 



O Lord, is salvation, and in thee is our hope, O 
God of pardon. Pardon us, we beseech thee, thou 
good and forgiving God ! for thou, O God, art a 
most gracious and merciful King. 

" O most merciful and gracious King ! we be- 
seech thee to remember and to look back on the 
covenant made between the divided offerings, and 
let the sacrificial binding of the only son appear 
before thee in favor of Israel. Our Father and our 
King ! O be gracious unto us and answer us, for 
we are titled by thy great name ! O thou who 
workest wonders continually, act with us according 
to thy tender mercy ; thou who art gracious and 
merciful look on us, and answer us in time of 
trouble ; for unto thee, O Lord, doth salvation 
belong. Our Father and our King, who art our 
shield, do not unto us according to our evil doings, 
but bear in mind, O Lord, thy mercy and thy tender 
kindness ; save us according to thy abundant good- 
ness, and have compassion on us, for we acknow- 
ledge no other God besides thee, our Creator ! for- 
sake us not, O Lord, our God ! neither be thou 
distant from us, for our souls are stunted by the 
sword, captivity, pestilence, plague, and all manner 
of trouble and sorrow. O deliver us, for we hope 
in thee ; put us not to shame, O Lord, our God ! 
but cause thy countenance to shine on us, and re- 
member for us the covenant of our ancestors, and 
save us for thy name sake. O behold our afflictions, 
and listen to the voice of our prayers, for thou 
dost hearken to the prayers of every mouth. 

" O most merciful and gracious God, have com- 



184 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



passion on us and on all thy works, for there is 
none like unto thee, O Lord, our God. We beseech 
thee to pardon our transgressions, our Father, King, 
Creator and Redeemer, who art the living and ever- 
existing God ; mighty in power, gracious and bene- 
ficent to all thy works. Yea, thou art the Lord 
our God, the God who art tardy of anger and full 
of compassion, O deal with us according to thine 
abundant mercy, and save us for thy name sake. 
Hear our prayers, O our King, and deliver us from 
the power of our enemies. Hear our prayers, O 
our King, and deliver us from all trouble and sorrow. 
Thou art our Father and our King, and we are called 
by thy name. O desert us not, forsake us not, O 
our Father! cast us not off, O our Creator, nor 
forget us, O our Maker, for thou, O God, art a 
most gracious and merciful King." 

On the second and fifth days of the week, the 
following is to be fervently said, standing : — 

" Yea, the most merciful forgiveth iniquity, and 
destroyeth not, but frequently turneth aside his 
anger, and awakeneth not his wrath. O Lord, 
withhold not thy mercy from us ; let thy grace and 
truth continually preserve us. Save us, O Lord, 
our God, and gather us from among the nations, 
that we may give thanks unto thy holy name, 
and gratulate ourselves in thy praise ! O God, if 
thou wilt mark our iniquities, who is it, O Lord, 
that can stand? Yet does pardon lie with thee; 
therefore shalt thou be revered. O deal not with 
us according to our sins, requite us not according 
to our iniquities. Although our iniquities testify 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



185 



against us, O Lord ! yet act kindly, for the sake of 
thv name. O Lord, keep in mind thy mercy, and 
thy benevolence, for they are eternal. The Lord 
will answer us in the day of trouble ; the name of 
the God of Jacob shall be our refuge. Save us, 
O Lord ! the Heavenly King will answer us on the 
day of our calling. Our Father and our King ! 
O be gracious unto us, and regard us, although we 
are destitute of good works, yet act charitably with 
us for thy name sake. O Lord, our God, hear the 
voice of our supplications ; remember thy covenant 
with our ancestors, and help us for the sake of thy 
name. O Lord, our God ! thou hast brought forth 
thy people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty 
hand, and hast acquired a glorious name, even unto 
this day. We acknowledge that we have sinned ; 
that we have acted wickedly. O Lord! according 
to all thy righteousness, we beseech thee to let thine 
anger, and thy wrath be turned away from Jerusalem, 
thy city, and thy holy mountain ; for it is on account 
of our sins, and the iniquities of our ancestors, 
that Jerusalem and thy people are become objects 
of reproach to all who surround us. Now, therefore, 
O our God !, attend to the prayer of thy servant, 
and to his supplications, and cause thy countenance 
again to shine upon thy desolate sanctuary, for 
thine own sake, O Lord ! 

"There is none like unto thee, gracious and 
merciful, O Lord, our God ! there is none like unto 
thee, O Omnipotent ! long suffering, and abundant in 
mercy and truth. Save us, in thy great mercies, 
from storms and wrath. O deliver us : O recollect 
2 A 



186 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



thy servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob ; and 
turn not thine eyes unto our stubbornness, nor to 
our wickedness ; nor to our sins. O turn from thy 
fierce wrath, and reverse the evil decreed against 
thy people, and remove from us the stroke of death. 
As thou art merciful, for such is thy course, to 
show gratuitous mercy throughout every generation. 
Have compassion, O Lord ! on thy people, and 
shield us from thy wrath; remove from us afflic- 
tive plagues, and harsh decrees, for thou art the 
guardian of Israel. Righteousness, O Lord ! is thine, 
but confusion of countenance belongs to us ; how 
can we lament? what can we say ? or how can we 
justify ourselves ? Let us examine our ways, and 
let us thoroughly search them ; then shall we return 
repentant unto thee: for verily, thy right hand is 
stretched forth to receive the penitent. O Lord ! 
save us, we beseech thee. O Lord ! prosper us, 
we beseech thee. O Lord ! we beseech thee, answer 
us at the time of our call. Unto thee, O Lord ! we 
look. To thee, O Lord ! do we hope. In thee, O 
Lord ! do we confide. O be not silent, but answer 
us. Although the heathens say their hope is lost, 
unto thee alone shall every knee bend, and all the 
lofty bow down. 

"O thou! who with open hand art ready to 
receive penitent transgressors and sinners, alas ! 
our souls are perturbed by our numerous griefs. O 
forget us not for ever, but arise, and save us; for 
on thee is our dependance. Our Father, and our 
King ! although we be destitute of righteousness 
and good works, O remember for us the covenant 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 187 

made with our ancestors, and the testimony we 
daily bear, that thou, O Lord, art one God ! O 
regard our afflictions, for abundant are our woes, 
and the troubles of our heart. Have compassion 
on us, O Lord ! in the land of our captivity, and 
pour not thy wrath upon us, for we are yet thy 
people, the children of thy covenant. Behold, O 
God ! the reduced state of our glory among the 
nations, and our disgustful state like that of an 
unclean person. How long shall the people of thy 
strength remain in captivity, and the glory in the 
power of the cruel. Awaken thy might and thy 
jealousy against thine enemies, so that they may 
be ashamed, and scared from their power. Let 
not our fatigues appear trifling in thy presence, but 
cause thy mercy to anticipate the day of our trouble ; 
and though not for our sake, yet act for thine own 
sake, and destroy not the memorial of our residue. 
O be gracious unto a people, who, with fervent 
love, do twice every day proclaim the unity of thy 
name, saying — ' Here, O Israel, the Lord, our 
God! the Lord is One.' " 

The above I have selected from the morning 
service. 

"All beings shall give thanks unto thee! — all 
shall praise thee ! — and every one shall declare, 
that there is none holy like the Lord ! All shall 
extol thee for ever — Creator of all things ! O Lord ! 
who daily openeth the portals of the east, and 
cleaveth windows in the firmament — bringeth 
forth the sun from its place, and the moon from 
her settled residence — enlighteneth the whole uni- 



188 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



verse, and its inhabitants, which with merciful 
influence he created. He with mercy doth illuminate 
the earth, and those who dwell therein ; and with 
kindness every day, continually doth renew the 
work of the creation. Thou art the sole King, 
heretofore extolled, who is praised, glorified, and 
exalted from the earliest days of the world. O God 
of the universe ! in the abundance of thy mercy, 
have compassion on us. O Lord of our strength ! 
rock of our fortress ! shield of our salvation ! be 
thou our defence. There is none to be compared 
with thee ; nor is there any beside thee. There is 
no other save thee, and who is like unto thee! 
There is none to be compared with thee, O Lord, 
our God ! in this world ; nor is there any besides 
thee, O our King ! In the world to come there is 
no other, save thee, O our Redeemer ! in the days 
of the Messiah, and there will not be any like unto 
thee, O our Saviour ! at the resurrection of the 
dead. 

"The Almighty is Lord of all productions. He is 
praised and adored by the mouth of every breathing 
soul. His power and his goodness fill the universe. 
Knowledge and understanding encircle him. He 
exalteth himself above the angels, and is adorned 
with glory about his heavenly chariot. Purity and 
rectitude are present at his throne. Kindness and 
mercy attend his glory. How excellent are the 
luminaries our God has created ; with how much 
knowledge, understanding, and wisdom hath he 
formed them. He hath endued them with power, 
and might to regulate the world; full of splendor 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



189 



and radiant brightness, their lustre is graceful 
throughout the world, rejoicing when going forth, 
and delighted when returning; with reverential awe 
do they perform the will of their Creator, and 
ascribe glory and majesty to his name ; joy and 
song to the commemoration of his kingdom. He 
called the sun, and it rose in resplendent light ; he 
looked, and regulated the moon's varying form. 
Praise is tendered him by the whole heavenly host ; 
glory and majesty, by the Seraphim and Ophanim, 
and the holy animated beings. 

' ' Hail to the God ! who rested from all his 
works on the seventh day ; who exalted himself 
and sat on his majestic throne, and with honor did 
adorn the day of rest, calling the sabbath a day 
of delight ; it is the glory of the seventh day that 
thereon did the Omnipotent rest from his work; yea 
even the seventh day praiseth and uttereth psalm 
and song for the sabbath ; it is good to praise the 
Lord, therefore shall glorification and blessings be 
offered to God by all his creatures ; praise, honor, 
and glory, shall they ascribe unto the King, the 
Creator of all, who entailed his people Israel with 
his sacred rest on the holy sabbath day. Thy name, 
O Lord, our God ! shall be sanctified ; and thy 
memorial, O our King ! be glorified in the heavens 
above, and on the earth beneath. Cause thyself 
ever to be blest, O our Saviour ! on account of all 
the praiseworthy works of thy hands, and for the 
bright luminaries which thou hast formed, they 
glorify thee for ever. 

" Cause thyself to be ever blessed, O our Creator, 



190 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



our King, and our Redeemer ! Creator of holy 
angels ! Praised shall be thy name for ever, O our 
King ! Creator of officiating angels ! yea, his minis- 
tering angels, who are all standing in the upper- 
most sphere of the universe with awe, and with 
united voice proclaiming the dictates of the living 
God, and the Sovereign of the universe. All these 
beloved, pure, and mighty spirits, all with sacred 
fear and reverence performing the will of their 
Master, are opening their mouths in holiness and 
innocence, with song and psalmody, continually 
blessing, praising, glorifying, reverencing, hallow- 
ing, and ascribing sovereignty unto the name of 
God, the great, the mighty, and tremendous King ! 
Holy is he, they all, one from the other, take upon 
themselves the service of the kingdom of heaven; 
and allowing each other to sanctify their Maker with 
tranquil spirit, pure language, and sacred harmony, 
until they all in one acclamation join, and with solemn 
awe exclaim — ' Holy ! Holy ! Holy ! is the Lord of 
Hosts ! the whole earth is replete with his glory.' 

" When the Ophanim and holy animated beings 
with an impetuous sound raise themselves up to- 
wards the holy seraphs, and towards each other, 
they sing praise and say — 

[When additional praises on particular days are 
said, this form is used instead of the annexed] . 

" The living creatures sing, the cherubs glorify, 
the seraphim exult in song, and the angels bless 
the Lord ; fronting every angel, orphan and 
cherub, opposite to the seraphim, opposite to 
each other do they all sing praise and say — 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



191 



" Blessed is the glory of the Lord from his high 
station. To the blessed God all shall offer harmo- 
nious strains. To the King, to the living and ever 
permanent God, all shall chaunt hymns, and render 
audible praises ; for it is he who alone worketh 
mighty, and maketh new things ; Lord of battles, 
Implanter of righteousness, Propagator of salvation, 
creator of all remedies, tremendous in praises, and 
Lord of wonders \ who every day with his kindness 
constantly reneweth the works of his creation ; as 
it is said, 'to him who made great luminaries, for 
his mercy endureth for ever.' O cause a new light 
to shine on Zion, that we may speedily enjoy its 
splendor • blessed art thou, O Lord ! Creator of all 
lights. 

" With abundant love hast thou loved us, O 
Lord, our God ! and with great and extraordinary 
mercy hast thou had compassion over us, O our 
Father and our King] for the sake of our ances- 
tors, who trusted in thee, and whom thou didst 
teach the statute of life, be thou also gracious unto 
us, and teach us, O our Father ! merciful Father ! 
O be gracious unto us, and give unto our hearts a 
faculty, to understand, fully comprehend, hearken, 
learn, teach, keep, execute, and accomplish, with 
due affection, all the doctrines expressed in thy law. 
O enlighten our eyes through the means of thy 
law, and attach our hearts unto thy precepts ; unite 
also our hearts, in love and reverence towards thy 
name, that we may never be confounded ; for we 
have ever trusted in thy holy, great, mighty, and 
tremendous name, and we shall ever rejoice and 



192 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



delight in thy salvation. O bring us back in peace 
from the four corners of the earth, and lead us 
erect unto our land, for thou art. the God who 
worketh salvation, who hast preferred us to every 
people and language, and hast in truth brought us 
near unto thy great name, to give praise unto thee, 
and with affection to acknowledge thy unity. 
Blessed art thou, O Lord ! who hath affectionately 
made choice of his people Israel. 

" May salvation come forth from heaven, grace, 
kindness, mercy, long life, affluence, heavenly aid, 
bodily health, and superior illumination, living and 
healthful children, a posterity that shall neither 
cease nor make void the words of the law ; unto 
the Teachers and Rabbins of the holy assemblage 
in the land of Israel, and in the land of Babylon; 
unto the principal orators, the chiefs of the cap- 
tivity, the heads of colleges, the judges of the gates, 
their disciples, and the disciples of their disciples, 
and all who are occupied in studying the law. O 
may the Sovereign of the universe ! bless them, 
preserve them, increase their days, and prolong 
their years, redeem and deliver them from all their 
troubles and evil occurrences ; may the Lord of 
heaven be their support at all times and seasons, 
and let us say, Amen. 

" Most merciful Father ! who dwellest on high ; 
O may he with transcendent mercy regard with 
pity the pious, upright, perfect, and holy congrega- 
tions, who have offered up their souls for the 
sanctification of his holy name ; lovely and amiable 
in their life time, and not separated (from their 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 193 

faith) at their death ; swifter were they than eagles, 
and stronger than lions ; ever prompt to perform 
the will of their Creator, and the desire of their 
Maker. May our God kindly remember them, 
together with all the righteous persons of this world. 
May he even before our eyes avenge the blood of 
his servants that hath been shed, as it is written in 
the law of Moses, the godly man — 'Cause his 
people to rejoice all ye nations, for he will avenge 
the blood of his servants. He will render vengeance 
to his adversaries, and will be reconciled to his peo- 
ple.' And by the hands of thy servants, the prophets, 
as it is written, saying, 'I will avenge the blood 
which I have not yet avenged ; I, the Lord ! who 
dwelleth in Zion.' And in the holy writings it is 
said, 'Wherefore should the heathen say, where is 
their God? Make known among the heathens in our 
sight, that thou avengest the blood of thy servants 
that hath been shed.' And it is said, 'The avenger 
of blood will remember them, and not forget the 
cry of the humble.' And it is said, 'He will judge 
the nations, will fill their places with dead bodies ; 
he that woundeth the chief of Kabbah's land.' 
Who would drink of the brook in the way, and 
therefore, did proudly exalt himself. 

"May God give thee of the dew of heaven, and 
the fatness of the earth, and abundance of corn 
and wine. People shall serve thee, and nations 
bow down to thee ; be lord over thy brethren, and 
thy mothers' sons shall bow down to thee. Cursed 
be those who curse, and blessed be those who bless 
thee. And may God Almighty bless thee, make 
2 B 



194 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou may est 
become a multitude of people. And may he give 
thee the blessing of Abraham, for thee and for 
thy seed with thee, that thou may est inherit the 
land wherein thou sojournest, which God gave unto 
Abraham. Thus shalt thou have help from the 
God of thy father, who shall bless thee with the 
blessings from above, and the blessings of the deep, 
couched beneath. The blessings of the breast and 
the womb. The blessings of thy father have pre- 
vailed above the blessings of my progenitors, unto 
the utmost bounds of the everlasting hills. They 
shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown 
of the head of him who was separated from his 
brethren. And he will love thee,* and bless thee, 
and multiply thee. He will also bless the fruit 
of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land ; thy corn, 
thy wine, and thine oil. The increase of thy kine, 
and the flocks of thy sheep ; in the land which he 
sware unto thy fathers to give thee. Blessed shalt 
thou be above all people ; there shall not be male 
or female barren among you, or your cattle. And 
the Lord shall take away from thee all infirmities ; 
neither will he put upon thee any of the evil diseases 
of Egypt, which thou knowest, but will lay them 
upon all those that hate thee.f 

"May the angel who redeemed me from all evil, 
bless the youths, and they shall be called by my 
name, and those of my ancestors, Abraham and 
Isaac, and increase abundantly in the midst of the 

* Deut. vii. 13. f Ibid, xxviii. 3. 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



195 



earth. The Lord, your God, shall multiply you \ 
and lo ! ye are this day as stars in the heaven for 
multitude. May the Lord God of your fathers, 
make you a thousand times as many more as you 
are, and bless you as he hath promised you. 

' 'Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed 
shalt thou be in the field. Blessed shalt thou be 
at thy entrance, and blessed shalt thou be at thy 
departure. Blessed shall be thy basket and thy 
kneading trough. Blessed be the fruit of thy 
womb — of thy ground — of thy cattle, the increase 
of thy kine, and thy flock of sheep. May the 
Lord command the blessing upon thee in thy 
storehouse, and in all thy undertaking ; and bless 
thee in the land which the Lord, thy God, giveth 
thee. The Lord will open his good treasures, the 
heavens unto thee, and give the rain for thy land 
in its season, and to bless all the work of thy hands. 
And thou shalt lend unto many people, but thou 
shalt not borrow. For thy God will bless thee as he 
has promised thee ; and thou shalt take pledge from 
many nations, but thou shalt not pledge ; and thou 
shalt reign over many nations, but they shall not 
reign over thee. Happy art thou, O Israel ! who is 
like unto thee ! a people saved by the Lord ! the 
shield of thy help, and the sword of thine excellency. 
Thine enemies also shall faulter and prevaricate 
before thee, and thou shalt tread upon their high 
places. 

"I have made thy transgressions vanish away 
like a cloud, and thy sins like a vapour. Return 
unto me, for I have redeemed thee. Sing, O ye 



196 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



heavens, for the Lord hath effected it. Utter a 
joyful sound, O ye depths of the earth ; burst forth 
into song, O ye mountains; the forest, and every 
tree therein ; for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, 
and will be glorified in Israel. 

"But Israel shall be saved by the Lord with 
eternal salvation ; ye shall never be ashamed ; 
neither shall ye be confounded, even to eternity. 
And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and 
praise the Lord, your God ! who hath dealt won- 
derously with you, and my people shall never be 
ashamed. And }^e shall know that I am in the 
midst of Israel ; and that I am the Lord your God ! 
and none else ; and my people shall never be 
ashamed. Surely, with joy shall ye go forth, and 
with peace shall ye be led onward; the mountains 
and the hills shall burst forth before you into song, 
and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. 
Behold, God is my salvation. I will trust, and 
will not be afraid ; for my strength and my song is 
Jah. The Lord is also become my salvation. Then 
shall ye with joy draw water from the fountains of 
salvation. In that day shall ye say, 'Give thanks 
unto the Lord; call upon his name; make known 
his mighty deeds among the people; be mindful 
that his name is highly exalted. Sing ye to the 
Lord, for he hath wrought a stupendous work: this 
is made manifest in all the earth. Shout, and sing 
for joy, ye inhabitants of Zion, for great in the 
midst of thee is the Holy One of Israel. In that 
day shall it be said, behold this is our God, we have 
trusted in him, and he hath saved us. This is the 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



197 



Lord, we have trusted in him; we will rejoice and 
triumph in his salvation. 

' ' Ye house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the 
light of the Lord! then will the faith of your times 
be the prop of salvation, wisdom and knowledge; 
for the fear of God is its treasure. David conducted 
himself wisely in all his ways ; therefore, was the 
Lord with him ; he hath delivered my soul in peace 
from the battle that was against me ; for it was 
with me to contend with many. And the people 
said unto Saul, ' Shall Jonathan die ? who hath 
wrought this great salvation in Israel ! God forbid ! 
As the Lord liveth, not one hair of his head shall 
fall to the ground ; for he wrought with God this 
day.' So the people released Jonathan, that he died 
not. Thus shall the ransomed of the Lord return, 
and come to Zion with loud acclamation ; and ever- 
lasting gladness shall crown their heads ; joy and 
gladness shall they obtain, and sorrow and sighing 
shall flee away. Thou hast turned my wailing tones 
for me into dancing glees ; thou hast put off my 
sackcloth, and girded me with gladness. And the 
Lord, thy God, would not hearken unto Balaam ; 
but the Lord, thy God, turned the curse into a 
blessing for thee, because the Lord, thy God, loveth 
thee. Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, 
and the young men and old men together ; for I 
will change their mourning into joy. I will also 
comfort them, and cheer them from their sorrow. 

"He that createth speech for the lips, to him is 
peace. Peace to him that is afar off, and to him 
that is near, saith the Lord ; I will heal him. The 



198 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



spirit enveloped Amasia, the chief of the captains, 
and he said, 'Thine are we, David, and on thy side 
are we, thou son of Jesse; peace, peace, be to thee, 
and peace to those that help thee ; for thy God 
helpeth thee.' David received them, and placed 
them at the head of the band. And thus shall ye 
say to all living, 'peace to thee, peace to thine 
house, and peace be unto all that thou hast.' The 
Lord will give strength unto his people ; the Lord 
will bless his people with peace." 

Rabbi Johanan saith, wherever thou meetest 
with the expression of the magnificence of the holy 
blessed Being, there wilt thou also meet with a 
description of his humility. We find this written 
in the law, repeated in the prophets, and again in 
the Hagiographa. 

4 'In the law it is written — ' For the Lord yon r 
God, is God of gods ! and Lord of lords! great, 
mighty and terrible ; who regardeth not persons, 
nor taketh a bribe.' And immediately after it is 
written- — ' He doeth justice for the fatherless and 
the widow, and loveth the stranger; bestowing on 
him food and raiment/ It is repeated in the pro- 
phets, as It is written — 'For thus saith the high 
and lofty One, who inhabiteth eternity, and whose 
name is holy. The high and holy place will I in- 
habit, and with the contrite and humble of spirit 
to revive the spirit of the humble, and to animate 
the heart of the contrite.' It is a third time re- 
peated in the Hagiographa, as it is written — 4 Sing 
unto God ! — chaunt hymns to his name — extol him 
who rideth the ethereal regions — praise him by his 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



199 



name, Jah — rejoice before him.' And immediately 
after it is written — 'A Father of the fatherless, 
and a judge of the widow, is God, in his holy habi- 
tation.' May the Lord, our God! be with us, as 
he was with our fathers. O may he not forsake us; 
not cast us off. All ye who are alive at this day, 
cleave unto the Lord, your God ! for the Lord shall 
console Zion. He shall console all her desolations ; 
and he shall make her wilderness like Eden, and 
her desert like the garden of the Lord ! Joy and 
gladness shall be found in her; thanksgiving, and 
the voice of melody. The Lord was pleased for the 
sake of his righteousness ; that the law be aggran- 
dized and glorified." — Psalm, i. 28. 

The above, which I have inserted, are for the 
evenings during the year, and sabbath service like- 
wise. Those prayers which follow, are used on 
different festivals during the year. 

" With abundant love hast thou loved us, O Lord, 
our God ! and with great and extraordinary mercy, 
hast thou had compassion over us. O our Father, 
and our King ! for the sake of our ancestors, who 
trusted in thee, and whom thou didst teach the 
statute of life ; be thou also gracious unto us, and 
teach us. O our Father, merciful Father ! O be 
gracious unto us, and give unto our hearts a ten- 
dency to understand, fully comprehend, hearken, 
learn, teach, keep, execute, and accomplish with 
due affection, all the expression of doctrine in thy 
law. O enlighten our eyes through the means of 
thy law, and attach our hearts unto thy precepts ; 
unite also our hearts in love and reverence towards 



200 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



thy name, that we may never be confounded ; for 
we have ever trusted in thy holy, great, mighty, 
and tremendous name; and shall delight and rejoice 
in thy salvation. O bring us back in peace from 
the four corners of the earth, and lead us erect unto 
our land, for thou art the God who workest salva- 
tion, who hast preferred us to every people and 
language, and hast brought us in truth unto thy 
great name, to give praise unto thee, and to ac- 
knowledge thy unity with affection. Blessed art 
thou, O Lord, who hath affectionately made choice 
of thy people Israel. 

"True, stable, correct, permanent, right, faithful, 
lovely, desirable, pleasant, reverend, excellent, 
regular, acceptable, good, and beautiful is this 
word of God unto us for ever and ever. Verily, the 
everlasting God is our King ; the rock of Jacob, 
the shield of our salvation; from generation to 
generation, doth he endure, and his name endure. 
His throne is established, and his kingdom and 
truth are fixed for ever. His words also are full 
of life ; permanent ; faithful for ever, and for ages 
after ages desirable, as concerning our ancestors ; 
concerning ourselves; our children; our generations, 
and all the generations of the seed of Israel, thy 
servants. For the past, and the future ages, is his 
divine word, excellent and permanent for ever ; 
spoken in truth and faithfulness; it is a statute 
that shall not pass away. Verily, thou art the Lord, 
our God ! and the God of our fathers ! our King ! 
and the King of our fathers ! Our Redeemer !• and 
the Redeemer of our fathers ! Our Creator ! the 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



201 



rock of our salvation 1 Our deliverer and preserver • 
such is thy name from everlasting, there is no other 
God besides thee. 

" Answer us, O God! answer us on this fast day ; 
for we are greatly distressed. O regard not our 
wickedness; hide not thy countenance from us, nor 
estrange thyself from our supplications. O we be- 
seech thee, be near to our cry, and suffer thy tender 
mercy to comfort us ; even before we call unto 
thee, according to the word of thy promise. ' And 
it shall be, that before they call, I will answer, 
whilst they are yet praying, I shall already have 
heard.' Thou, O Lord ! art he who answereth in 
time of trouble, Redeemer and Deliverer in all times 
of trouble and distress. (The reader concludes), 
Blessed art thou, O Lord, who answerest in time 
of trouble. 

"OLord! rebuke me not in thine anger, nor 
chasten me in thy wrath. Have mercy upon me, 
O Lord ! for I am withered. Heal me, O Lord ! 
for my bones are shaken ; my soul is troubled 
exceedingly. O thou eternal God j ah ! how long 
yet. Return, O Lord ! relieve my soul ; O save me, 
for thy mercy sake. For in death there is no re- 
membrance of thee ; in the grave who shall give 
thanks unto thee ? I am wearied with my sighing ; 
every night I deluge my bed ; with my tears do I 
bedew my couch. Mine eye is consumed, because 
of grief ; shrunk, because of all mine adversaries. 
Depart from me all ye workers of iniquity, for the 
Lord hath heard my supplication, the Lord will 
accept my prayer. All mine enemies shall be 
2 c 



202 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



greatly ashamed and confounded; abashed they 
will instantaneously retreat. 

4 'The breath of all the living will bless thy name, 
O Lord, our God! and the spirit of all flesh glorify 
and extol thy memorial, O our King! from eternity 
to eternity thou art God ! and besides thee we have 
neither King, Redeemer, nor Saviour : thou dost 
redeem, deliver, maintain, and commiserate in all 
times of trouble and distress ; there is no king for 
us but thee. God of the first ages, and God of the 
last. God of all creatures ; Lord of all productions; 
adored with manifold praises ; who governeth the 
universe with tenderness, and his creatures with 
mercy. Lo ! the Lord neither slumbereth nor 
sleepeth ; he rouseth those who sleep ; awakeneth 
those who slumber ; causeth the dumb to speak ; 
releaseth the captive ; supporteth the fallen, and 
raiseth up the drooping : unto thee alone do we 
worship. Were our mouths as full of sacred song 
as the sea with water ; our tongues with melody as 
its roaring billows ; our lips with praise, like the 
expanded firmament ; were our eyes sparkling like 
the sun and moon ; our hands extended as the 
eagle's wings under heaven, and our feet like as the 
hind's, we should yet be deficient to render due 
thanks unto thee, O Lord, our God, and the God 
of our fathers ! and adequately to Jbless thy name ; 
for even one of the myriads and thousands of be- 
nefits which thou hast conferred on us, and on our 
ancestors. From the house of bondage, O Lord, 
our God ! didst thou release us ; from Egypt didst 
thou redeem us; in the time of famine didst thou 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS, 



203 



sustain us ; and with plenty didst thou nourish us. 
From the sword didst thou deliver us ; from pesti- 
lence save us, and from sore and heavy diseases 
didst thou withdraw us. Hitherto have thy tender 
mercies supported us, and thy kindness hath not 
forsaken us. O abandon us not, O Lord, our God, 
in future. Therefore, the members which thou hast 
branched out in us ; the spirit and soul which thou 
hast breathed into our nostrils, and the tongue thou 
there hast placed in our mouths, shall worship, 
bless, praise, extol, reverence, sanctify thee, and 
ascribe sovereignty unto thy name, O our King ! 
Every mouth shall adore thee, and every tongue 
shall swear unto thee ; every knee bend unto thee ; 
every rational being worship thee ; every heart re- 
vere thee, and the inward parts and reins shall 
sing praise unto thy name, as it is written — ■ All 
my bones shall say, O Lord, who is like unto thee; 
thou who delivereth the weak from them that is 
too strong for him, and the poor and the needy 
from their oppressor !' Who is like unto thee; who 
equal unto thee ; who can be compared unto thee ; 
great, mighty, and tremendous God ! most high 
God! possessor of heaven and earth; we will praise, 
adore, glorify, and bless thy name ; as David said — 
' Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within 
me, bless his holy name.' 

"Happy might those be with the lot assigned 
him, for thou didst call him thy faithful servant : a 
garland of glory didst thou place on his head when 
he stood before thee on Mount Sinai, and brought 
down two tables of stone in his hand, on which was 



204 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



written the commandment fo r the observance of the 
sabbath, and thus it is written in thy law—' And the 
children of Israel shall keep the sabbath throughout 
their generations for a perpetual covenant. It is a 
sign between me and the children of Israel for ever. 
For in six days the Lord made the heaven and the 
earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was 
refreshed.' Thou, O Lord, our God ! didst not 
bestow this on the other nations of the earth ; 
neither didst thou, O our King ! make it the heri- 
tage of those who worship idols, nor will the unini- 
tiated enjoy its repose. Affectionately hast thou 
bestowed it on thy people, Israel, the posterity of 
Jacob, whom thou hast chosen. The people who 
sanctify the seventh day, shall all be satisfied and 
delighted with thy goodness, for thou wast pleased 
with, and didst sanctify the seventh day, the most 
desirable of days didst thou call it — a commemora- 
tion of the work of all the creation. 

" When in restraint I called on the Lord, and he 
answered me with enlargement. The Lord is for 
me, I will not fear ; what can man do unto me ? 
The Lord is with me, and is my aid ; therefore 
shall I behold the confusion of my foes. Better is 
it to trust in the Lord, than to rely on man. Better 
it is to trust in the Lord, than to rely on princes. 
All nations beset me around, but in the name of 
the Lord will I cut them off ; they surround, they 
encompass me, but in the name of the Lord will I 
cut them oft. They compass me about like a swarm 
of bees, they flash about as the fire of thorns, but 
in the name of the Lord will I cut them off. Thou 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



205 



hast thrust sore at me that I may fall, but the 
Lord supported me. The Lord is my strength and 
my song, and he is become my salvation. The 
voice of song and salvation resounded in the taber- 
nacles of the righteous. The right hand of the 
Lord acteth valiantly ; the right hand of the Lord 
is exalted ; the right hand of the Lord acteth 
valiantly ; I shall not die, but shall live, and declare 
the works of the Lord. He hath indeed chastized 
me, but he hath not given me over unto death. 
Open the gates of righteousness for me, I will go 
through them. I will praise the Lord ; this, the 
gate of the Lord, into which the righteous shall 
enter. I will praise thee, for thou hast answered 
me, and art become my salvation. — / will, fyc. The 
stone which the builders rejected, is become the 
corner head stone. — The stone, fyc. This is from 
the Lord, it is marvellous in our eyes. — This is 
from, fyc. This is the day which the Lord hath 
appointed, we will be glad and rejoice thereon. 

" Thy righteousness is everlasting, and thy law 
is truth ; yea, thy righteousness, O God! is exceed- 
ing high, for thou hast done great things, O God ! 
who is like unto thee, thy righteousness is exalted 
as the mighty mountains ; thy judgments profound 
as the vast abyss ; for thou, O Lord ! dost preserve 
both man and beast. 

" O Lord, our God! cause us to lie down in 
peace, and raise us up again. O our King ! alive ; 
O spread thy pavilion of peace over us ; uphold us 
with thy good counsel, and help us for thy name's 
sake. Protect us, and remove away from us foes, 



206 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



pestilence, war, famine, and grief. O remove the 
enticer (satan), from being about us, and cover us 
under the shadow of thy wings ; for thou, O God ! 
art our keeper, and deliverer. Thou, O Omnipo- 
tent ! art a most merciful and gracious King. O 
preserve our going forth and our coming in, to life 
and peace, for now and for evermore. Blessed art 
thou, who ever doth guard his people Israel. 

" Sovereign of the universe ! it is evidently known 
unto thee, that whilst the holy temple was estab- 
lished, if a man sinned he offered a sacrifice, and 
nothing was consecrated but its fat and blood ; and 
thou in thine abundant mercy didst grant him par- 
don ; but at present, when, because of our iniquities 
the holy temple is destroyed, we have neither sanc- 
tuary, nor priest to atone for us. O may it there- 
fore be acceptable in thy presence, that the diminu- 
tion of fat and blood, which hath been diminished 
by my presence this day, be accounted as fat offered 
and placed on the altar, before thy presence, and 
therefore, O be favorable unto me. (After this he 
proceeds with) May the words, &c. 

" The shield of our ancestors with his mighty 
word — the reviver of the dead by his mere word 
— the holy God ! (On the Penitential days, say, 
the holy King), there is none like unto him who 
granteth rest unto his people on his holy sabbath, 
for pleased with them he gave them repose ; him 
therefore will we worship with reverential awe, 
daily will bless his name, and constantly with the 
essence of the blessings. O God ! to whom thanks- 
givings are due, Lord of peace, Sanctifier of the 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



207 



sabbath ; blesser of the seventh day, who doth 
grant holy rest to a people satiated with delight, 
as a memorial of the work of the creation. 

" O that our eyes may see, our hearts rejoice, 
and our souls truly exult in thy salvation ; when it 
shall be said unto Zion, it is thy God who hath 
established his reign. The Lord is King, the Lord 
hath reigned, the Lord will reign for ever and ever. 
For the sovereignty is thine, and to all eternity 
wilt thou reign in glory : verily, we have no other 
King but thee. Blessed art thou, O Lord ! The 
King, who in his glory will eternally reign over us, 
and over all his works. 

" O God ! who art mighty in thy strength, who 
art great by thy glorious name ; eternally mighty 
and tremendous by thy awful acts ; the King who 
sitteth on the high and exalted throne. 

"Enthroned, eternal; exalted and holy is his 
name : it is written, ' Rejoice in the Lord all ye 
righteous, for praise is comely in the just.' With 
the mouths of the upright shalt thou be praised ; 
with the lip of the righteous shalt thou be blessed ; 
with the tongue of the pious shalt thou be extolled ; 
and in ^the midst of the saints shalt thou be 
sanctified. 

" Thou hast made us acquainted, O Lord, our 
God ; with thy righteous judgments ; and taught 
us to execute the statutes of thy pleasure ; yea, 
thou hast given unto us, O Lord, our God ! righ- 
teous judgments, and the law of truth, statutes and 
excellent commandments. Thou didst also put us 
in possession of seasons of joy, sacred holy days, 



208 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 

and freely devoted festivals ; thou also didst cause 
us to inherit the sacred delight of the sabbath, the 
glory of the holy days, and the enjoyment of regular 
festivals. Thou, O God, our Lord ! hast made a 
distinction between the holy and the profane; be- 
tween light and darkness; between Israel and the 
nations; between the seventh day and six days 
of work; between the sanctification of the sabbath, 
and the sanctification of the holy days, hast thou 
made a difference ; and the seventh day from the 
six days of work hast thou appointed as sacred; 
and thou hast separated and sanctified thy people 
Israel with thy holy consecration. 

"May it be thy pleasure, O Lord, our God! 
and the God of our fathers, to renew this coming 
month for us in beneficence and blessings. O 
grant us long life and a life, of peace, a goodly 
life, a life of blessing, of comfortable maintain- 
ance and increasing fatness ; a life fraught with 
the fear of heaven, and the dread of sin ; a life 
without shame or disgrace; a life of riches and 
honor ; a life in which we shall be found to have a 
love for the law, and a fear of heaven; a life in 
which the good wishes of our hearts shall be 
fulfilled. — Amen. — Selah. 

"May he who blessed our ancestors, Abraham, 
Isaac, and Jacob, bless this holy congregation, toge- 
ther with all other holy congregations. Yea, them, 
their wives, sons and daughters, and all who belong 
to them : all those who unite to appropriate syna- 
gogues for prayer, as well as those who assemble 
therein to pray; as also those who provide lights to 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



209 



light them; wine to sanctify the sabbath day, and 
other festivals ; bread to the wanderer, and charity 
to the poor. Likewise, also those who faithfully 
discharge the trust reposed in them by their congre- 
gation. May the holy blessed Being reward them ; 
remove from them all sickness, heal their bodily 
infirmities, pardon all their sins, and send blessing 
and prosperity on all the work of their hands, and 
those of all Israel, their brethren, and let us say, Amen. 

"In the days of Matthias, son of Jochanan, 
Maccabeus, the high priest, and his sons, when the 
tyrannical government of Greece, rose up against 
the people Israel, to make them forget thy law, and 
trespass on the statutes of thy holy will, thou in 
thine abundant mercy, didst stand in their behalf, 
and in the time of their trouble, didst thou contend 
for them ; didst judge their causes, and avenge 
their wrongs. Thou didst deliver the mighty into 
the hands of the weak — a multitude into the hands 
of a few— the impure into the hands of the unde- 
filed — the wicked into the hands of the righteous — 
and the contumacious into the hands of those who 
occupy themselves with thy law. Thus didst thou 
make unto thyself a great and holy name in thy 
world ; and didst work a great salvation and re- 
demption for thy people Israel on that day. After 
this did thy children enter into the oracle of thy 
house, cleanse thy temple, purify thy holy place, 
and rekindle the lights in the court of thy holy 
house, and appointed those eight days of dedi- 
cation to be kept with thanksgiving and praise to 
thy great name. 
2 D 



210 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



Thou hast graciously endowed us with the know- 
ledge of thy law, whereby thou hast taught us to 
observe the statutes of thy will. Thou, O Eternal, 
our God ! hast made a distinction between the 
consecrated, and the not consecrated — between 
light and darkness — between Israel and other na- 
tions — between the seventh day and the six working 
days. Our Father, our King ! vouchsafe to com- 
mence the days which now are approaching us in 
peace, preserve us from all sin, free from all ini- 
quity, and attached to the reverence of thee. 

"O let us be graced by thee with knowledge, 
understanding, and discernment. Blessed art thou, 
O Lord ! who graciously bestoweth knowledge. 

O our Father ! we beseech thee, restore us to 
the due observance of thy law, and bring us near, 
O our King! unto thy service. O cause us to return 
to thy presence with perfect repentance. Blessed art 
thou, O Lord ! who art pleased with repentance. 

"Verily, thou art One, and thy name the only 
One; what nation is so especial on the earth, as 
thy people Israel? A glorious exaltation, and a 
crown of salvation; a day of rest and of sacredness, 
didst thou give unto thy people. Even Abraham 
shall be glad ; Isaac shall rejoice ; Jacob and his 
posterity shall rest thereon ; a repose of love and 
freewill ; a repose of faith, truth, and faithfulness ; 
and a repose peaceful, tranquil, prosperous, and 
secure : a perfect repose, such as in which thou 
delightest. O that thy children may know and 
understand that their repose is from thee, and for 
their repose to sanctify thy name. 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



211 



"O let the slanderers have no hope, all the 
wicked be quickly lost, and all the enemies of thy 
people be speedily cut off, the reign of wickedness 
be soon rooted out, broken, hurled down, and 
reduced, soon, even in our days. Blessed art thou, 
O Lord ! who breaketh up enemies, and humbleth 
the proud. 

"May thy tender mercies, O Lord, our God! be 
expanded over the just, the pious, and the elders 
of thy people ; the house of Israel ; the remnant of 
their scribes ; and the virtuous strangers, as also 
over us ! O bestow good rewards unto all who 
faithfully put their trust in thy name ; and grant 
that our portion be with them; that we never be 
put to shame, for we do trust in thee. Blessed 
art thou, O Lord ! the support and the confidence of 
thy just. 

"O in mercy, return to Jerusalem, thy city, and 
dwell therein, as thou hast promised. O rebuild it 
shortly, even in our days, an everlasting structure, 
and speedily re-establish the throne of David therein. 

"Holy! holy! holy! is the Lord of Hosts! the 
whole earth is replete with his glory. 

"When the Ophanim and holy animated beings, 
with an impetuous sound, raise themselves up 
towards the holy seraphs, and towards each other, 
sing praise, and say : — 

"Blessed is the glory of the Lord from his high 
station. 

"To the blessed God! all shall offer harmonious 
strains. To the King ! to the living and ever- 
permanent God! all shall chaunt hymns, and render 



212 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



audible praises; for it is he who alone worketh 
mighty, and maketh new things ; Lord of battles ; 
Implanter of righteousness; Propagator of salvation; 
Creator of all remedies; tremendous in praises, and 
Lord of all wonders ; who every day, in his goodness, 
constantly reneweth the works of the creation ; as 
it is said, ' To him who made great luminaries, for 
his mercy endureth for ever.' O cause a new light 
to shine on Zion, that we may speedily enjoy its 
splendor. Blessed art thou, O Lord, Creator of lights ! 
who with mercy enlighteneth the whole earth, 
and all those who dwell therein, and who with his 
goodness every day continually reneweth the work 
of creation. How great are thy works, O Lord ! in 
wisdom hast thou made them all I filled is the earth 
with thy property. Thou alone art the King ! 
heretofore extolled, praised, glorified, and exalted 
from the earliest of days of the world. O God of 
the universe ! in the abundance of thy mercy, have 
compassion on us. O Lord of our strength, Rock 
of our fortress, thou Shield of our salvation! be thou 
our defence. The Almighty, blessed, magnanimous 
Being ! made and established the radiance of the 
sun: the Beneficent hath formed all that is glorious 
to his name; with bright luminaries hath he 
encircled the seat of his strength. Chiefs of holy 
bands, extolling the Almighty; continually declaring 
the glory of God, and his holiness; cause thyself 
ever to be blessed, O Lord, our God! for all the 
praiseworthy works of thy hands; and for the 
bright luminaries which thou hast formed, they 
shall glorify thee for ever. Ever to be blessed art 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



213 



thou, O our Creator, our King, and our Redeemer! 
Creator of holy angels, praised shall be thy name 
for ever. O our King, Creator of officiating angels ! 
yea, his ministering angels, who are always standing 
in the uppermost sphere of the universe, with awe, 
and with united voice, proclaiming the dictates of 
the living God, and Sovereign of the universe ! All 
these beloved chosen and mighty spirits ; all with 
sacred fear and reverence, are performing the will 
of their Master ; all open their mouths in holiness 
and purity, with song and psalmody, continually 
blessing, praising, glorifying, reverencing, hallow- 
ing and subscribing sovereignty unto God • the 
great, mighty, and tremendous King. Holy is he, 
and they all, one from the other, take upon them- 
selves the service of the kingdom of heaven, and 
giving permission to each other to sanctify their 
Maker with tranquil spirit, pure language, and 
sacred harmony; they all, in one acclamation, join 
and with solemn awe, exclaim — 

4 'Blessed is he who but spake, and the world 
was called into existence ! Blessed is he. Blessed 
is the primeval Creator. Blessed is he who sayeth, 
and performeth. Blessed is he who ordaineth and 
establisheth. Blessed is he who hath compassion 
upon the earth. Blessed is he who hath compassion 
over all creatures. Blessed is he who graciously 
rewardeth those who revere him. Blessed is he 
who liveth for ever, and existeth eternally. Blessed 
is he who redeemeth, and redeemeth and delivereth. 
Blessed is his name. Blessed art thou, O Lord, 
our God, King of the universe ! God, merciful 



214 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



Father ! praised by th& mouth of his people, and 
glorified by the tongue of his pious men and servants, 
with the songs of David, thy servant, will we 
also praise thee, O Lord, our God ! With thanks- 
givings and songs of praise, will we magnify, praise, 
and glorify thy name ; yea, we will hail thy Majesty, 
O our King, our God, sole God, life of the universe ! 
O King ! praised and glorified be thy great name, 
for ever and ever. Blessed art thou, O Lord, O 
King! 

"May the Lord, our God, be with us, as he 
was with our ancestors ; O may he neither leave 
nor forsake us ; may he incline our hearts towards 
him ; to walk in his ways, and to keep his com- 
mandments, statutes, and judgments, which he 
commanded our fathers. O may these, my words, 
wherewith I have made supplication before the 
Lord, be nigh unto the Lord, our God, day and 
night, that he maintain the cause of his servant, 
and the cause of his people Israel, in their daily 
necessities ; that all the people of the earth may 
know, that the Lord is God, and that there is none 
else. Lead me, O Lord, in righteousness, because 
of mine enemies ; make my way straight before 
me, and I will walk in mine integrity. O redeem 
me, and be gracious unto me ; turn unto me, and 
be gracious unto me, for I am solitary and afflicted. 
My feet stand in the straight path; in the assembly 
will I bless the Lord. The Lord is my guardian ; 
the Lord is my shade ; he is on my right hand ; my 
help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth; 
may the Lord guard my going out, and my coming 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



215 



in, with life and peace, from henceforth, and for 
evermore. Look down from thy holy habitation, 
from heaven, and bless thy people Israel, and the 
land which thou hast given unto us, as thou didst 
swear unto our fathers — a land flowing with milk 
and honey. O God of glory ! unto thee will I offer 
song and praise, and will worship thee day and 
night. Blessed be he to whom unity peculiarly 
appertaineth : he was, is, and ever will be, the Lord 
God ; the God of Israel ; the supreme King of 
kings ! holy and blessed is he ! he is the living God, 
the living and ever-existing King, for ever and 
evermore. Blessed be the name of his glorious 
kingdom for ever and ever. In thy salvation do I 
hope, O Lord ! 

" With everlasting love, hast thou loved the 
house of Israel, thy people : laws and command- 
ments, statutes and judgments hast thou taught us, 
therefore, O Lord, our God! whenever we lie down, 
and whenever we rise up, will we discourse of thy 
statutes, and we will rejoice in the words of thy 
law, and in thy commandments, for ever and ever ; 
for they are our life, and the prolongation of our 
days ; and in them will we meditate day and night. 
O, withdraw not thy love from us, ever. Blessed 
art thou, O Lord ! who loves t his people Israel. 

"The Lord hath ever been mindful of us ; he 
will bless us, he will bless the house of Israel ; he 
will bless the house of Aaron. He will bless those 
that fear the Lord, both small and great. May the 
Lord increase his blessing upon you more and more, 
upon you and upon your children. Blessed are ye 



216 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. The hea- 
vens are the heavens of the Lord, but the earth hath 
he given to the children of men • the dead praise 
not the Lord ; neither do they who descend into the 
silent grave ; but we will bless the Lord, from 
henceforth, and for evermore. Hallelujah /" 

The ethics of the fathers. 

CHAP. 1. 

"All Israel have a portion in the future world; 
as it is said, 'And thy people all righteous, shall 
for ever possess the land ; the scion of my planting, 
the work of my hands, wherewith to be glorified.' 

" 1. Moses received the law from Sinai, and deli- 
vered it to Joshua, and Joshua to the elders, and the 
elders to the prophets, and the prophets to the men 
of the great synagogue. They said three things : 
' Be deliberate in judgment ; train up many disci- 
ples ; and make a fence for the law.' 2. Simon, 
the just, was the last remaining of the men of the 
great synagogue. He used to say, that the world 
existed by virtue of three things, viz. the law, wor- 
ship, and acts of beneficence. 3. Antigonous, of 
Socho, received the oral law from Simon the just : 
he used to say, be not like servants, who serve 
their master for the sake of receiving a reward ; 
but be like servants who serve their masters without 
a view of receiving a reward ; and let the fear of 
heaven he upon you. 4. Jose Ben Joezer, of 
Tseredah, and Jose Ben Johanan, of Jerusalem, 
received the oral law from them. Jose Ben Joezer, 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 217 

of Tseredah, said, let the house be a house of 
assembly for the wise men ; and dust thyself with 
the dust of their feet, and drink their words in 
thirsty desire. 5. Jose Ben Johanan, of Jerusalem, 
said, let thy house be wide open, and let the poor 
be thy domestics, and be not prone to much dis- 
course with womankind : not even with thy wife, 
much less with thy neighbour's wife : hence, the 
wise men say, whoever converses much with woman 
bringeth evil on himself, neglects the study of the 
law, and will assuredly at the last inherit hell. 6. 
Joshua Ben Perechiah, and Natia, the Arbelite, 
received from them. Joshua Ben Perechiah said, 
procure thyself a master, and obtain an associate, 
and judge all mankind favorably. 7. Natai, the 
Arbelite, said, withdraw thyself from an evil neigh- 
bour, and associate not with the wicked; neither 
flatter thyself to escape evil. 8. Judah Ben Tabai 
and Simeon Ben Shetach received from them. 
Judah Ben Tabai said, consider not thyself as one 
of the dictators to judges ; and when the parties 
are before thee in judgment, consider them as 
guilty ; but when they are departed from thee, con- 
sider them as innocent, as they have acquiesced in 
the sentence. 9. Simeon Ben Shetach, said, be 
extremely careful in the examination of witnesses, 
and be cautious in thy words, lest therefrom they 
should learn to falsify. 10. Shemaiah and Abtalyon 
received from them. Shemaiah said, love thy 
business and hate dominion, and thus not make 
thyself known to government. 1 1 . Abtalyon said, 
ye sages be cautious of your words, lest ye be 
2 E 



218 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



doomed to captivity, and be banished to a place of 
infected waters, which the disciples who follow 
would drink and would perish, whence the name of 
God would be profaned. 12. Hillel and Shamai 
received from them. Hillel said, be of the disciples 
of Aaron, a lover of peace, and a follower of peace ; 
a lover of mankind, and one who promotes the 
study of the law. 13. He used to say, whoever is 
ambitious of aggrandizing his name, destroys his 
name ; and whoever doth not increase his know- 
ledge in the law, shall be cut off ; and whoever doth 
not study the law, is deserving of death ; and who- 
ever makes a tool of learning's crown shall perish. 
14. He also said, if I am not for myself, who is for me, 
and when I even am for myself, what am I, and if 
not at present, when then? 15. Shamai said, let 
the study of the law be fixed : say little, and do 
much ; and receive all men with an open respectful 
countenance. 16. Rabban Gamliel said, procure 
thyself an instructor, and avoid being in doubt, and 
accustom not thyself to give tithes by conjecture. 
17. Simeon, his son, said, all my life have I been 
brought up among wise men, and never found any 
thing better for the well-being of the body than 
silence : it is not the study, but the practice of the 
law, which is the principal ; and whoever is profuse 
of words causeth sin. 18. Rabbin Simeon Ben 
Gamaliel said, the duration of the world depends 
on three things, lis. justice, truth, and peace; as it 
is said, 'Truth and peaceful justice shall ye adjudge 
in your gates.' 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



219 



CHAP. II. 

"1. Rabbi saith, which is the path most eligible 
for man to make choice of ? All such as shall prove 
an ornament to him who makes use thereof, and is 
deemed an ornament by mankind : be also as strictly 
observant of a light precept as of a weighty one ; 
for thou canst not know the rewards peculiarly 
allotted to each precept, nor calculate the loss sus- 
tained by the non-performance of a precept against 
its recompence, and the enjoyment of a sin against 
its injurious effect. Consider three things, and thou 
wilt never be exposed to the commission of sin. 
Consider what is above thee ; an all-seeing eye, an 
attentive ear; and that all thy^actions are inscribed 
in a book. 2. Rabban Gamliel, the son of Rabbi 
Judah Hanasee, said, it is commendable to join 
the study of the law with worldly enjoyment, for 
by their joint occupation, sin becomes forgotten ; 
and all study of the law not supported by occu- 
pation, will become of no effect, but will be the 
occasion of sin. Those who are engaged in the 
service of the congregations, ought to act for God's 
sake ; then will the merit of their ancestors support 
them, and their charitable deeds stand for ever : 
thus shall I account ye deserving of a great recom- 
pence, as if ye had actually done it. 3. Be ye 
warned with respect to princes, (or courtiers), as 
they do not bestow favors on men, but for their 
own interest ; they appear as friends, whilst we are 
useful to them • but will not stand in aid of a man 
in time of need. 4. He used to say, do his will, 
as if it was thine own will ; that he may accomplish 



220 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



thy will, as if it was his own will: make void thy 
will for the sake of his will • that he may make 
void the will of others, for the sake of thy will. 
Hillel saith, separate not thyself from the congre- 
gation; nor have confidence in thyself, until the 
day of thy death. Judge not thy neighbour until 
thou art in his situation ; neither utter a sentence, 
as if it was incomprehensible, but which in the 
end will be comprehended : nor say, when I shall 
have leisure I will study, lest thou shouldest not 
have leisure. 5. He also said, a boor cannot be in 
fear of sin ; nor can a peasant be a saint : the 
bashful cannot become learned, nor the choleric a 
teacher ; neither will he who is much engaged in 
traffic become scientific ; and where there are no 
active men, strive thou to be a man. 6. Having 
also seen a skull floating on the water, he said, 
because thou didst make others float, have they 
floated thee, and the end of those that made thee 
float, will be, that they will also float. 7. He also 
said, he that increaseth his flesh, multiplieth food 
for worms ; he who multiplieth riches, increaseth 
care ; he who multiplieth wives, increaseth witch- 
craft ; he who multiplieth female servants, multi- 
plieth lewdness ; he who multiplieth men servants, 
multiplieth robbery; he who augmenteth his know- 
ledge of the law, augmenteth life ; he who augment- 
eth his study in college, increaseth wisdom ; he 
who multiplieth counsel, increaseth prudence ; he 
who augmenteth justice, multiplieth peace ; if he 
hath acquired a good name, he hath made an 
acquisition for himself ; but if he hath acquired the 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



221 



pure doctrine of the law, he hath acquired immortal 
life in a future state. 8. Rabbi Jochanan Ben 
Zacchai, received from Hillel and Shamai. He 
frequently said, if thou hast very deeply studied the 
law, pride not thyself thereon ; for that was the pur- 
pose of thy creation. Rabbi Jochanan Ben Zacchai 
had five disciples, and they were the following : 
Rabbi Eliezer Ben Hyrcanus, Rabbi Joshua Ben 
Chananya, Rabbi Jose the priest, Rabbi Simon Ben 
Nathaneil, Rabbi Eleazer Ben Arach. He used 
thus to appreciate their merit, viz. Rabbi Eliezer 
Ben Hyrcanus, is as a well plastered pit which 
loseth not a drop; Rabbi Joshua Ben Chananya, 
happy are they who begat him ; Rabbi Jose the 
priest is a saint ; Rabbi Simon Ben Nathaneil 
feareth sin ; Rabbi Eleazer Ben Arach is a powerful 
spring. He used also to say, if all the sages of 
Israel were in one scale of the balance, and Rabbi 
Eliezer Ben Hyrcanus in the other, he would over- 
balance them all. Abba Saul said, in his name, if 
all the sages of Israel were in one scale, and even 
Rabbi Eliezer Ben Hyrcanus with them, and Rabbi 
Ben Arach in the other, he would over-balance 
them all. 9. He also said to them, go forth and 
consider which is the good path for man to adhere 
to ; to this Rabbi Eliezer answered a benevolent 
eye ; Rabbi Joshua said, a worthy associate ; Rabbi 
Jose said, a good neighbour; Rabbi Simeon said, 
he who foresees the consequence of an undertaking ; 
Rabbi Eleazer said, a good heart. He then said 
unto them, I prefer the sentiment of Rabbi Eleazer 
Ben Arach above your's, as his words include the 



222 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 

whole of your's. He also said unto them, go forth 
and consider which is the evil way that man should 
shun ; to which Rabbi Eliezer said, an evil eye ; 
Rabbi Joshua said, an evil associate ; Rabbi Jose 
said, an evil neighbour ; Rabbi Simeon said, he 
who borroweth, and payeth not; for he that 
borroweth of man, doth the same as if he borrowed 
from God ; as it is said, the wicked borroweth, and 
payeth not again, but the righteous sheweth kind- 
ness and giveth. Rabbi Eleazer said, an evil heart. 
He then said unto them, I prefer the sentiment of 
Rabbi Eleazer Ben Arach above your's, as his 
words include the whole of your's. 10. They also 
said, three things ; Rabbi Eliezer said, let the 
honor of thy associate be as dear to thee as thine 
own; be not easily moved to anger, and repent 
one day preceding thy decease, and warm thyself 
by the fire of the sages ; but be careful that their 
coal doth not burn thee; for their bite is as the 
bite of a fox, and their sting as the sting of a 
scorpion, and their burn as the burn of a fiery 
serpent, and all their words as fiery coals. 1 1 . Rabbi 
Joshua said, an evil eye, an evil imagination, and 
misanthrophy, drive men out of the world. 12. Rabbi 
Jose said, let thy associate's property be as dear to 
thee as thine own, and prepare thyself to study the 
law, as it cometh not to thee by inheritance ; and 
let all thy actions be with devotion to the name of 
God. 13. Rabbi Simeon said, be strict in reading 
the Shemang, and other prayers; and when thou 
art praying, consider not thy prayer merely as a 
stated duty, but as supplicating mercy in the pre- 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



223 



sence of ubiquity ; as it is said, ' For he is gracious 
and merciful, long suffering, and of abundant kind- 
ness, and repenteth him of the evil,' and condemn 
not thyself as wicked. 14. Rabbi Eleazer said, be 
assiduous in studying the law, that thou mayest 
know how to confute an epicurean ; consider also, 
in whose presence thou art laboring ; in whose ser- 
vice thou art employed; and who thy master is 
that will pay thee the reward of thy labor. 1 5. Rabbi 
Tarphon said, the day is short, and the labor much, 
and the laborers slothful ; the reward is great, and 
the master of the house presseth for dispatch. 
16. He used to say, it is not incumbent on thee to 
complete the work; neither art thou at liberty to 
abstain wholly from it ; if thou hast diligently 
studied the law, thou wilt receive great reward; for 
the master who employed thee is faithful to pay 
thee the reward of thy labor; but know that the 
payment of the reward of the righteous is in a future 
state. 

CHAP. III. 

"Akavya Ben Mahalleal said, ponder on three 
things, and thou wilt not be led to the commission 
of sin: consider from whence thou comest, and 
whether thou goest, and in whose presence thou 
must in future render an account in the judgment. 
From whence comest thou? from a feted drop; and 
whither art thou going? to a place of dust, worms, 
and insects ; and in whose presence thou art in 
future to render an account in judgment, even 
before the holy supreme King of kings, the sacred 
blessed Being. 2. Rabbi Chaneena, a priest of the 



224 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



second order, said, pray for the peace of the govern- 
ment ; for were it not in reverence thereof, men 
would swallow each other alive. Rabbi Chaneena 
Ben Tradion said, two who are sitting together, 
and hold no discourse among themselves concerning 
the law, are accounted as an assembly of scorners ; 
as it is expressed, ' Nor sitting in the seat of the 
scornful/ But two who sit together, and discourse of 
the law, the divine presence may be said to rest on 
them ; as it is said, ' Then they who feared the 
Lord spake every one to his neighbour ; and the 
Lord gave ear and heard ; and a book of remem- 
brance was written before him, for them who feared 
the Lord, and for them who thought on his name.' 
This refers to two ; but thence do we infer, that if 
but one sits engaged to the study of the law, that 
the holy blessed God will appoint him a reward ? 
From the verse, 'Let him sit alone and be silent, 
because he hath taken it upon him.' 3. Rabbi 
Simeon saith, three who have eaten at one table, 
and have not discoursed thereat of the subject of 
the law, are to be considered as if they had eaten 
of the sacrifices of idols; for it is said, 'For all their 
tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that no 
place is clean.' But three who have eaten at one 
table, and have discoursed thereat of the subject 
of the law, are considered as if they had eaten at 
God's table ; as it is said, and he said unto me, 
'This is the table which is before the Lord.' 
4. Rabbi Chaneena Ben Chacheenai said, he who 
walketh all the night, travelleth in the road alone, 
and tumeth his heart to vanity, is guilty of the 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 225 

death of his own soul. 5. Rabbi Nechunya Ben 
Hakanah said, whoever imposes on himself the 
yoke of the law, shall be relieved from the yoke of 
the state, and the yoke of worldly custom; but 
whoever divests himself of the yoke of the law, 
shall be bnrthened with the yoke of the state, and 
the yoke of worldly custom. 6. Rabbi Chalaphta 
Bendousa, from the village of Chananya, said, ten 
persons being assembled together, and engaged in 
the study of the law, the Shechinah presideth among 
them; as it is said, 'God standeth in the congre- 
gation of the mighty.' But whence is it inferred, 
that this is the case even with five ? Because it is 
said, 'He hath founded his troop upon the earth.' 
And whence is it inferred , that it is likewise so with 
three ? Because it is said, 4 He judgeth among the 
judges.' And whence is it inferred, that it is also 
thus with two? Because it is said, 'They who 
feared the Lord, spake every one to his neighbour, 
and the Lord gave ear and heard.' And whence is 
it inferred, that it is likewise so with one ? Because 
it is said, ' In every place where I record my name, 
I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.' 
7. Rabbi Eleazer, an inhabitant of Bartotha, said, 
give unto him, (God), of his own; for thou, and 
all thou possessest, is his. And thus said David, 
'For all things are from thee, and from the gift of 
thine hands have we given unto thee.' Rabbi 
Jacob said, he who journeyeth on the road, medi- 
tating on the law, and ceaseth therefrom, in order 
to exclaim; what a beautiful tree ! or what a hand- 
some tillage ! is considered in Scripture as endan- 
2 F 



226 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



gering his life. 8. Rabbi Dosethai, the son of 
Jonai, in the name of Rabbi Myer, said, whoever 
forgetteth any thing of what he hath obtained by 
study, is considered in Scripture, as having endan- 
gered his life. And it is said, 'Only take heed 
to thyself, and guard thy soul diligently, lest thou 
forget the things which thine eyes have seen.' 
Perhaps you may imagine this to follow, if even 
his study has proved too much for him ? No : it is 
said, ' Lest they be put away from thine heart all 
the days of thy life/ Hence, we conclude that he 
doth not endanger his life, until he deliberately 
removes them from his heart. 9. Rabbi Chancena 
Ben Dosa said, whoever gives the fear of sin the 
precedence to his wisdom, his wisdom will be per- 
manent ; but whosoever holds his wisdom in prece- 
dency to his fear of sin, his wisdom will not be 
permanent. He used to say, whosoever has good 
actions surpassing his wisdom, his wisdom will be 
permanent as he whose wisdom exceedeth his good 
deeds, his wisdom will not be permanent. 10. He 
also used to say, with whomsoever the spirit of 
mankind is gratified, the spirit of Omnipotence is 
also gratified ; but with whomsoever the spirit of 
mankind is not gratified, the spirit of the Omni- 
potent is not gratified. Rabbi Dosa Ben Harcheenas 
said, that sleep in the morning, wine at noon, 
childish conversation, and the frequent assemblies 
of the ignorant, take man out of the world. 
1 1 . Rabbi Eleazer Hamodai said, he who profaneth 
the holy offerings, despiseth the solemn feasts, 
puts his neighbour to shame in public, abrogates 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



227 



the covenant of our father Abraham, or explaineth 
the law contrary to its true sense; although such 
persons be learned in the law, and habituated to 
good deeds, yet will he have no share in the future 
state. 12. Rabbi Ishmael said, be easy towards 
thy superior, and mild with thy junior, and receive 
all persons pleasantly. 13. Rabbi Akeeba said, 
laughter and levity make men accustomed to lewd- 
ness ; tradition forms a fence to the law ; tithes a 
fence to riches ; vows a fence for abstinence ; silence 
is the fence to wisdom. 14. He used to say, man is 
beloved, for he Was created in the image of God ; 
but that love was greater still which made it known 
to him, that he was created in the image of God ; 
as it is said, 'Tn the image of God he made man.' 
Beloved are Israel, in that they are called the 
children of God^, and it was an additional love that 
acquainted them, with their being actually called 
the children of God ; as it is said, ' Ye are the 
children of the Lord your God.' Beloved are Israel, 
to whom was given the delectable instrument, 
wherewith the world was created, was given unto 
them ; as it is said, 'For I give you good doctrine, 
therefore forsake ye not my law.' 15. Every thing 
is foreseen by Providence, though freedom of choice 
is given to man ; the world is judged in goodness, 
and the whole according to the quantum of work. 
16. He used to say, every thing is given to man- 
on pledge ; a net is spread over every living creature ; 
the shop is open, and the merchant credits ; the 
book is open, and the hand records ; and whoso- 
ever chooses to borrow, may come and borrow, for 



228 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



collectors are continually going about day by day, 
and obtain payment of man, with his consent, or 
without it ; they have good authority to support 
them, and the judgment is true justice ; and every 
thing is prepared for the feast. 17. Rabbi Eleazer 
Ben Azaryah said, if there be no knowledge of the 
law, there can be no correct worldly conduct, and 
if there be no correct worldly conduct, there cer- 
tainly is no law ; if there be no wisdom, there is no 
fear of God; and if there be no fear, there is no 
wisdom ; if there be no understanding, there is no 
knowledge ; and if there be no knowledge, there is 
no understanding ; if there can be no meal, there 
can be no study of the law ; and if there be no law, 
there will be no meal. He used to say, to what 
may he be likened whose wisdom exceedeth his 
good deeds ? to a tree, the branches of which are 
numerous, and the roots scanty, so that when the 
wind cometh, it plucketh it up, and overturneth it; 
as it is said, 'For he shall be like a blasted tree 
upon the waste, which is not sensible when good 
cometh ; but is continually exposed to scorching 
heats, in the desert, a land barren, and uninhabi- 
table. But to what is he like w T hose good deeds 
exceed his wisdom? to a tree, the branches of 
which are few, and the roots numerous ; so that 
if all the tempests were to discharge their fury 
against it, they would not be able to move it from 
its place ; as it is said, 'For he shall be like a tree 
planted by the water-side, which by the side of 
the stream sendeth forth its roots, it shall not 
perceive when heat cometh ; but its leaf shall be 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



229 



green, and in a year of drought it shall be without 
concern, nor shall it fail in bearing fruit.' 18. Rabbi 
Eleazer Ben Chisma said, the laws respecting the 
sacrifices of the doves, and the laws respecting men- 
strual impurity, are legal constitutions ; but astron- 
omy and geometry are within the peripheries of 
science. 

CHAP. IV. 

" 1. Ben Zoma said, who is a wise man ? he who 
is willing to receive instruction from all men ; as it 
is said, ' From all my teachers I gather understand- 
ing. 5 Who is a mighty man? he who subdueth his 
evil inclination ; as it is said, £ He who is slow to 
anger is better than the mighty, and he who 
governeth his spirit, than he who taketh a city.' 
Who is a rich man ? he who is delighted with his 
lot ; as is said, ' Thou shalt eat the labor of thy 
hands ; then happy shalt thou be, and it shall be 
well with thee;' happy shalt thou be in this world, 
and it shall be well with thee in the world to come. 
Who is an honorable man ? he who honoreth man- 
kind ; as it is said, 1 For they who honor me, will I 
honor ; and they who despise me shall be lightly 
esteemed.' 2. Ben Azai said, hasten to the per- 
formance of the slightest precept, and flee from the 
commission of sin ; for the performance of one 
precept leads to another, and one sin involves the 
commission of another ; as the reward of effecting 
one precept is led to the performance of another, 
so is the recompence of one sin, the evil of com- 
mitting another. 3. He used to say, despise not 
all men, nor oppose all things ; for there is no man 



230 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



who hath not his hour, neither is there a thing that 
hath not its place. 4. Rabbi Leveetas, an inhabi- 
tant of Jabna, said, be exceedingly humble of spirit, 
as all the expectation of man is to be food for the 
worms. Rabbi Johannan Ben Beroka said, whoso- 
ever profaneth God's name in secret, whether inad- 
vertently, or presumptuously, will be punished in 
public, it being all the same in case of the profana- 
tion of God's name. 5. Rabbi Ishmael said, he who 
learneth, that he may be able to teach others, will 
be enabled to study and to teach others ; but he 
who studieth in order to perform the precepts, will 
be enabled to study, to teach, to observe, and to 
effect the commandments. Rabbi Zadoc said, 
separate not thyself from the congregation, make 
not thyself as one of the dictators to judges, make 
not the study of the law as a diadem for thy aggran- 
dizement ; nor as a hatchet to labor with for thy 
living. Hillel used also to say, he who makes use 
of this diadem for his own purposes, will pass 
away. Hence art thou taught, that whoever would 
make a profit by the law, depriveth himself of life. 
6. Rabbi Jose said, he who honoreth the law, shall 
personally be honored by mankind • but whosoever 
profaneth the law, shall be personally despised by 
mankind. 7. Rabbi Ishmael said, he who avoids 
being a judge, saves himself from enmity, robbery, 
and perjury ; but he who is ignorant in laying down 
the law, is a proud wicked fool. 8. He used to 
say, judge not singly by thyself, for none can judge 
singly, but One ; neither shouldst thou say, receive 
ye my opinion; for they have the option, not thou. 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



231 



9. Rabbi Jonathan said, whosoever performeth the 
ordinance of the law, whilst poor, shall in the end 
perform it when rich ; but he who neglects the law 
on account of his riches, will in the end neglect it on 
account of poverty. 10. Rabbi Myer said, diminish 
your worldly concerns, and engage in the contem- 
plation of the law ; be of humble spirit in the pre- 
sence of all men. If thou neglectest the law, there 
are many hindrances before thee, but if thou hast 
labored in the study of the law, there is much recom- 
pence to be given unto thee. 11. Rabbi Eliezer, 
the son of Jacob, said, he who performeth but one 
precept, obtaineth an advocate for himself, and he 
who commits a single sin, procures unto himself 
an accuser. Repentance and good deeds are shielded 
before the divine punishment. Rabbi Johanan 
Hasandelar said, every assembly formed for God's 
sake will be permanent ; but those not formed for 
God's sake, will have no duration. 12. Rabbi 
Eleazer Ben Shamuang said, let the honor of thy 
disciple be as dear to thee as thine own, and the 
honor of thy companion as the fear of thy master, 
and the fear of thy master as the fear of God. 
13. Rabbi Judah said, be careful in the study of the 
law, for error in the learned amounts to wilful sin. 
Rabbi Simeon said, there are three crowns, the 
crown of the law, the crown of the priesthood, and 
the crown of monarchy; but the crown of a good 
name is superior to all of them. 14. Rabbi Nahory 
said, when you emigrate let it be to a place where 
the law is studied ; and say not that it will follow 
thee, or that thy associates will establish it for thee ; 



232 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



neither depend on thine own understanding. 15. 
Rabbi Yanai said, it is not in our power to explain 
the prosperity of the wicked, nor the chastisements 
of the righteous. Rabbi Mathya Ben Charash said, 
be forward to greet all men ; be rather as the tail 
of the lion, than as the head of the foxes. 16. 
Rabbi Jacob said, this world may be likened to a 
court yard placed before the world ; prepare thyself 
therefore in the vestibule, that thou mayest enter 
into the palace. 17. He used to say, one hour 
employed in repentance and good deeds in this 
world, is preferable to a whole life in the future 
one : and one hour's refreshment of spirit in the 
future world, is preferable to the entire life in this. 
18. Rabbi Simeon Ben Eleazer said, attempt not 
to pacify your neighbour, whilst he is in a rage, 
nor to console him while his dead lyeth before him ; 
question him not at the moment of his vowing ; 
nor be pressing to see him in the time of his 
calamity. 19. Samuel, the lesser, used to say, 
rejoice not when thine enemy falleth ; and let not 
thine heart be glad when he stumbleth, lest the 
Lord should see it, and it should be evil in his 
sight, and turn his wrath from him. 20. Elisha 
Ben Abuya said, he who teacheth a child is like to 
one who writes on clean paper ; but he who teach- 
eth old people is like unto one who writes on 
blotted paper. Rabbi Jose, the son of Judah, an 
inhabitant of a Babylonian village, said, to what 
may he who learneth the law, from little children, be 
compared? to one who eateth sour grapes, and 
drinketh wine from his press ; but he who learneth 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



233 



from the old men, to one who eats ripe grapes, and 
drinks old wine. Rabbi Myer said, look not at the 
flask, but at that which is therein ; for there are new 
flasks full of old wine, and old flasks which have 
not even new wine in them. 21. Rabbi Eleazer 
Hakkapar said, envy, lust, and ambition take men 
out of the world. 22. He used to say, those who 
are born are doomed to die, the dead to live, and 
the quick to be judged ; to know, to make known, 
and to be informed, that the Almighty God, is the 
Former, the Creator, the intelligent Being, Judge, 
Witness, and Prosecutor ; and he will judge them 
hereafter. Blessed is he in whose presence there is 
no unrighteousness, no forgetfulness, no respect of 
persons, nor acceptance of bribes, for every thing 
is his. Knows also, that every thing is done accord- 
ing to the account ; and let not thine imagination 
persuade thee, that the grave is a place of refuge 
for thee ; by force wast thou formed, and by force 
wast thou born, and by force dost thou live, and by 
force wilt thou die, and by force must thou here- 
after render an account, and receive judgment in 
the presence of the King of kings, the holy God ; 
blessed is he. 

chap. v. 

" 1. By ten divine expressions was the world 
created. What doth this teach us? verily God 
could have created it with one expression ! but this 
was to punish the wicked, who destroy the world, 
thus created, by ten expressions ; and to dispense 
happy rewards to the righteous, who support the, 
world created, by ten expressions. 2. Ten were 
2 G 



234 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



the generations from Adam to Noah, which must 
make us sensible how long suffering is the supreme 
Being, as all those generations went on continually 
provoking him, until he brought the deluge upon 
them. 3. Ten generations passed from Noah to 
Abraham, which shew us how long suffering God 
is ; as all those successive generations continued to 
provoke him, until Abraham appeared and received 
the reward due to ail. Ten trials were made on 
our father Abraham, in all of which he stood firm ; 
and which evince the great love our father Abra- 
ham felt towards God. 4. Ten miracles were 
wrought for our ancestors in Egypt, and ten at the 
Red Sea. Ten times did our ancestors tempt the 
blessed God in the wilderness ; as it is expressed, 
' And they have tempted me now these ten times, 
and have not hearkened unto my voice.' 5. Ten 
miracles were wrought for our ancestors in the 
temple, viz. no woman ever miscarried in conse- 
quence of the scent from the flesh of the sacrifices ; 
neither did the flesh of the sacrifices ever smell 
offensively ; a fly was never seen in the slaughter- 
house ; no unclean accident ever befell the high 
priest on the day of atonement ; nor did the rain 
ever extinguish the fire of the arranged wood ; nor 
the wind contend with the ascending pillar of 
smoke ; neither was any defect ever found in the 
omer, the two loaves and the shew-bread ; the people 
stood close pressed together, who yet, when they 
worshipped, found room sufficient ; neither did a 
serpent or scorpion ever injure any person in Jeru- 
salem ; nor did any man ever say to his neighbour, 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



235 



I have not room to lodge in Jerusalem. 6. Ten 
articles were created on the eve of the first sabbath 
during twilight ; namely, the mouth of the earth ; 
the mouth of the ass ; the mouth of the spring ; 
the rainbow ; the manna ; the staff ; the Shameer ; 
the alphabet, writing, and the tables of the law : 
some say, and likewise the demons ; the grave of 
Moses ; and the ram of our father Abraham : 
others add, the first pair of tongs, wherewith all 
others were made. 7. Seven things mark the 
clown, and even the wise men : the wise men will 
not speak before one who exceeds him in wisdom 
and years * he will not interrupt his neighbour in 
his discourse, nor be in haste to reply ; enquireth 
to the purpose, and answereth regularly ; he will 
speak of the first proposition first ; and of the last 
lastly ; and of that which he hath not heard, he 
will say, I have not heard, and will always confess 
the truth : the reverse of all this marks the clown. 
8. Seven kinds of punishment are brought on the 
world, for seven important sins i when a part of the 
people give tithes, and another not, scarcity and 
dearth ensue, so that some are filled, and others 
suffer hunger : but when all agree not to give tithes, 
a famine from destructive confusion, and from 
dearth ensues : when all have agreed not to separate 
the tithes, universal consuming famine ensues ; and 
if not to consecrate the cholla, a destructive famine 
will follow. Pestilence cometh into the world for 
the commission of sins, said to be punishable with 
death in the law, but are not cognizable by human 
judges ; as also for non-observance of the law, 



236 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



concerning the fruits of the seventh year. The sword 
pervade th the world, on account of the painful 
delay of justice, and the painful perversion thereof; 
and on account of those who explain the law con- 
trary to the true sense thereof. 9. Ferocious ani- 
mals overrun the world, on account of false swear- 
ing, and the profanation of God's name. Expatri- 
ation prevails throughout the world, on account of 
idolatry, whoredom, bloodshed, and not suffering 
the land to rest on the sabbatical year. At four 
periods, the pestilence is most prevalent ; in the 
fourth year, the seventh, the close of the se- 
venth, and the close of the feast of tabernacles 
in every year. In the fourth year, on account of 
the failure in giving the poor's tithe of the sixth 
year; and at the end of the seventh, on account of 
the fruits of the seventh year; and annually, at the 
feast of tabernacles, on account of robbing the poor 
of the gifts due to them. 10. Four dispositions 
are to be met with among mankind ■ one that saith, 
that which is mine is mine, and that which is thine 
is thine; this is a mean disposition; and some say, 
this was the custom of Sodom. He who saith what 
is mine is thine, and what is thine is mine, is an 
ignorant plebian. He who saith, what is mine is 
thine, and what is thine is also thine, is a saint. 
He who saith, what is mine is mine, and what is 
thine is also mine, is wicked. 1 1 . There are four 
qualifications in the passions of mankind. He who 
is easily provoked and easily pacified, such one 
loses more than he gains. He whom it is difficult 
to provoke, and difficult to pacify, gains more than 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



237 



he loses. He whom it is difficult to provoke, and 
easy to pacify, is pious ; but he who is easily pro- 
voked, and with difficulty pacified, is wicked. 
12. There are four qualities perceivable in disciples, 
viz. he who quickly apprehends, and quickly forgets, 
such loses more than he gains. He who with diffi- 
culty apprehends, and difficultly forgets, gains more 
than he loses. He who quickly apprehends, and 
difficultly forgets, hath a good portion. He who 
difficultly apprehends, and quickly forgets, hath an 
evil portion. 13. There are four qualities perceiv- 
able in those who bestow charity; he that is willing 
to give, but doth not wish that others should give, 
hath an envious eye towards others. He who likes 
to see others give, but who himself will not give, 
hath an evil eye towards himself. He who is willing 
to give, and that others should give also, is a saint. 
He who will not give, and likes not that, others 
should give, is wicked. 14. Four qualities are 
perceivable in those who go to college : he who 
goeth, but doth not study, can but claim the reward 
due to his going. He who studieth, but doth not 
go, is entitled to the reward due to his action. He 
who goeth, and studieth, is pious. He who neither 
goeth, nor studieth, is wicked. 15. There are four 
qualities to be met with in those who attend to 
hear the instruction of the wise ; and they may thus 
be compared; as a sponge, a funnel, a strainer, 
and a sieve ; as a sponge, which sucketh all up ; as 
a funnel, which receiveth at one end, and dis- 
chargeth at the other ; as a strainer, which letteth 
the wine pass, but restraineth the lees ; and a 



238 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



sieve, which discharge th the bran, but retaineth 
the fine flour. 16. Every affection that depends 
on some sensual or worldly circumstance, when that 
circumstance ceaseth, that affection ceaseth also ; 
but that which doth not depend on such circum- 
stances, will never cease. Where meet we with an 
instance of affection, dependant on a sensual cause? 
Such was the love of Amnon to Tamar ; but that 
which was not dependant on such a cause, was the 
love of David and Jonathan. 17. Every dispute, 
occurring for God's sake, will in the end be settled ; 
but that which is not for God's sake, will not be 
settled. What may be considered as a dispute for 
God's sake ? the disputes of Hillel and Shamai ; 
but that which was not for God's sake, was the 
dissension of Korah and his assembly. 18. He 
who benefits the public, will never be exposed to 
sin ; but whosoever should cause the public to 
sin, will never have the grace to repent. Moses 
was meritorious, and benefited the public ; the 
merit of the public was therefore attributed to him ; 
as he said, 'He executed the justice of the Lord, 
and his judgments with Israel.' Jeroboam, the 
son of Nebat, sinned, and caused Israel to sin; the 
sin of the people was therefore attributed to him ; 
as is said, 'Because of the sins of Jeroboam, which 
he sinned, and which he made Israel to sin.' 19. 
Whoever doth possess these three virtues, may be 
considered as a disciple of our father Abraham ; 
and whoever is possessed of the three opposites, 
is of the disciples of Balaam, the wicked. A bene- 
volent eye, a modest spirit, and an humble mind, 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



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are characteristics of the disciples of our forefather 
Abraham : an evil eye, an haughty spirit, and an 
ambitious mind, are characteristics of the disciples 
of the wicked Balaam. What is the difference 
between the disciples of our forefather Abraham, 
and the disciples of the wicked Balaam ? the disci- 
ples of our forefather Abraham enjoy the fruit of 
their good works in this world, and inherit the 
future ; for it is said, ' That I may cause those that 
love thee to inherit substance, and I will fill their 
treasures.' But the disciples of the wicked Balaam 
inherit gehinnam, and descend to the pit of destruc- 
tion ; as it is said, ' But thou, O Lord, shaft bring 
them down to the pit of destruction.' Bloody and 
deceitful men shall not live out half their days ; but 
I will trust in thee. 20. Judah Ben Tema said, be 
bold as a leopard ; light as an eagle ; swift as a 
roe ; and strong as a lion, to effect the will of thy 
Father which is in heaven. He used to say, the 
impudent are for gehinnam, and the modest for 
paradise ; may it be thy will, O Lord, our God, and 
the God of our ancestors ! that the holy temple be 
speedily rebuilt, in our days, and that thy law be 
our portion. 21. He also said, at five years of age, 
a child should study the Scriptures ; at ten the 
Mishna ; at thirteen he is bound to observe the 
precepts ; at fifteen he must study the Gemara ; at 
eighteen should enter into wedlock ; at twenty to 
pursue a mode to procure a livelihood ; at thirty he 
is arrived at full bodily strength ; at forty to his 
full understanding ; at fifty he is fit to give counsel; 
at sixty he is accounted aged; at seventy he is 



240 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



called grey ; at eighty he may be considered of a 
hardy nature ; at ninety as bending to the grave ; 
at one hundred as if already dead, and forgotten 
by the world. 22. Ben Bag Bag said, ponder and 
ponder again on the law ; for all things are con- 
tained therein ; contemplate it ; grow old and grey 
with it, and depart not therefrom ; for there is no 
quality preferable to it. 23. Ben Hea Hea said, 
according to thy trouble, will be thy recompense. 

CHAP. VI. 

" The sages taught in the language of the Mishna. 
Blessed is he who selects them, and their learning. 
Rabbi Myer said, he who is engaged in the study 
of the law for its own sake, has much merit ; and 
not that alone, but the whole world is under obli- 
gation to him ; he is called a dear friend ; dear to 
God, and dear to mankind ; he rejoiceth God, and 
rejoiceth his creatures : it clotheth him with meek- 
ness, and the fear of God, and renders him fitted 
to become just, pious, righteous, and faithful : it 
removeth him from sin, and bringeth him near to 
merit ; and the world is benefited by his counsel, 
sound wisdom, understanding, and strength ; as is 
said, ' counsel is mine, and sound wisdom : I am 
understanding: T have strength.' It also bestoweth 
sovereignty, dominion, and ratiocination ; the hid- 
den secrets of the law are revealed to him; he 
becomes an increasing fountain, and a never-failing 
river ; and causeth him to be modest, slow to anger, 
and ready to pardon an injury done to him: it 
will thus magnify and exalt him above all things. 
2. Rabbi Joshua Ben Levi said, every day doth 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 241 

a Bathkol issue from Mount Horeb, and proclaim, 
woe be to those who neglect the law ; for whoever 
doth not engage in the study of the law, may be 
considered despicable ; as it is written, 'As a jewel 
of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman with- 
out discretion.' It is also said, 'And the tables 
were the work of God, and the writing was the 
writing of God, graven upon the tables.' Bead not 
graven, but freedom; for none can be thought free, 
but those who choose to study the law ; and whoever 
is engaged in the study of the law, is exalted ; as 
expressed, 'And from Mattanah to Nachliel, and 
from Nachliel to Bamoth. 3. He who learneth 
from his associate one chapter, one sentence, one 
verse, or one expression, ought to behave towards 
him with respect ; for thus we find of David, king 
of Israel, who having learned but two things from 
Ahithophel, called him his teacher, his preceptor, 
and friend; as is said, 'It was thou, mine equal, 
my guide, and my friend.' Hence, it may be 
deduced, that if David, who was king of Israel, 
learned but two things from Ahithophel, did call 
him his Rabbi, preceptor, and friend, how much 
more ought any one, who learneth from his fellow, 
a chapter, a sentence, a verse, or an expression, 
to shew him the utmost respect? Nought is true 
honor but the knowledge of the law ; as is said, 
'The wise shall inherit glory, and the perfect shall 
inherit the good.' There is no real good, but the 
law; as is said, 'For I give you good doctrine, 
forsake you not my law.' 4. The way to shew 
earnestness in the study of the law is thus — Bread 
2 H 



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FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



with salt shalt thou eat ; water by the measure 
shalt thou drink ; on earth shalt thou sleep, and a 
life of anxiousness shalt thou live ; yet shalt thou 
labor in the study of the law. If thus thou actest, 
happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee ; 
thou shalt be happy in this world, and it shall be 
well with thee in the future. 5. Seek not grandeur 
for thyself, neither covet more honor than thy 
learning meriteth; perform the precepts, and crave 
not after the tables of kings; for thy table is greater 
than their 's, and thy crown is greater than their 
crown ; and the master who employeth thee, is 
faithful to pay thee the reward of thy labor. 6. The 
law is more excellent than the priesthood, and than 
royalty ; for royalty is acquired by thirty qualifi- 
cations, and the priesthood by twenty-four ; but 
the law is acquired by forty-eight ; and those are 
they, viz. study, an attentive ear, repeating lips, 
a comprehensive and intelligent heart, accompanied 
with awe, fear, meekness, joy, and purity ; by 
attendance on wise men, by the remarks of asso- 
ciates, and the disputations of scholars ; by the 
study of the Bible and the Mishna ; by engaging 
but in little traffic and worldy occupation ; by being 
sparing in pleasure, in sleep, in talking, or sport ; 
being slow to anger, having a good heart ; faith in 
the sages, and patience under chastisements ; by 
him who is sensible of his situation, and who re- 
joices in his portion; who puts a rein on his expres- 
sions, and is not bent towards benefiting himself ; 
who causes himself to be beloved, sincerely loving 
God, and loving his fellow creatures ; loving the 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



243 



virtues, correctness, and admonitions ; by avoiding 
honors, and neither priding himself on his acquired 
knowledge, nor delighting to dictate ; willing to 
bear the burden with his neighbour, and disposed 
favorably towards him ; to fix him in the truth, and 
establish him in peace ; he makes a steady order 
of study, by regular question and answer ; he is 
attentive, and makes additions , he learneth with a 
view of teaching others ; and he learneth with a view 
to the performance of the precepts; who exerciseth 
his preceptor's knowledge ; is attentive to his 
instruction, and reporteth every thing in the name 
of the person who originally expressed it ; whence 
it is inferred, that whoever reports any thing in the 
name of the person who affirmed it, procureth 
redemption for the world. It is said, 4 And Esther 
certified the king thereof, in Mordecai's name.' 
7. Great is the law, for it bestoweth life on the 
observers thereof, both in this world, and in the 
future ; as is said, ' For they are life unto those 
who find them, and health to all their flesh.' And 
it is said, 'It shall be health to thy navel, and 
marrow to thy bones.' And it is said, 'It is a tree 
of life to those who hold on it, and the supporters 
thereof are happy.' And it is said, 'For they shall 
be an ornament of grace to thine head, and as 
chains about thy neck.' And it is said, 'It will 
bestow an ornament of grace to thine head, and 
protect it with a crown of glory.' And it is said, 
' For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the 
days of thy life shall be increased.' And it is said, 
' Length of days is in its right hand, and in its left 



244 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



are riches and honor.' And it is said, 'For length 
of days, and long life and peace shall be added to 
thee.' 8. Rabbi Simeon Ben Judah, in the name 
of Rabbi Simeon Ben Jochai said, beanty, strength, 
honor, wisdom, age, hoary age, and many children, 
are suitable to the righteous, and agreeable to the 
world ; as it is said, ' The hoary head is a crown of 
glory, if it be" found in the way of righteousness.' 
And it is said, ' The glory of young men is their 
strength, and the beauty of the old men is the grey 
head.' And it is said, 'Children's children are the 
crown of old men, and the glory of children is the 
wisdom of their fathers.' And it is said, 'And the 
moon shall be confounded, and the sun shall be 
ashamed, for the Lord of Hosts shall reign on 
Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem ; and before his 
ancients shall be glory.' 9. Rabbi Simeon Ben 
Menasya said, those seven qualities which the sages 
enumerated, as proper for the righteous, were all 
accomplished in the person of Rabbi and his children. 
Rabbi Jose Ben Kisma said, I was once travelling 
on a road, and met a certain person, who saluted 
me with Shalam, and I returned his salutation • he 
then said unto Rabbi, whence art thou ? I answered 
him, from a great city, abounding in sages and 
scribes ; said he to me, if thou art willing to dwell 
with us in our own city, then will I give thee a 
thousand thousand golden deenars, besides diamonds 
and pearls ; to which I answered him, if thou 
wouldest give me all the silver and gold, diamonds 
and pearls in the universe, I would not dwell, but 
in a place w T here the law is studied ; for thus it is 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



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written in the book of Psalms, by David, king of 
Israel, ' Better is thy law to me, than thousands of 
gold and silver.' Besides, at the time of man's 
departure from this world, he is not accompanied, 
neither with silver, nor gold, nor pearls, nor dia- 
monds, but with the law, the good deeds only ; as it 
is said, ' When thou goest it shall lead thee, when 
thou sleepest it shall keep thee, and when thou 
awakest it shall talk with thee.' ' When thou 
goest it shall lead thee that is, in this wretched 
and wicked world ; ' when thou sleepest it shall 
watch over thee ' in the grave ; and ' when thou 
awakest it shall talk with thee,' in the future world ; 
and it is said, 'The silver is mine, and the gold is 
mine, saith the Lord of Hosts.' 10. Five proper- 
ties the blessed God may be said to have appropri- 
ated in his world, and these are they, viz. the law 
is one property; heaven and earth one property; 
Abraham one property; Israel one property; and 
the holy temple one property. Now, whence is it 
to be proved, that the law is one property? because 
it is written, ' The Lord possessed me in the begin- 
ning of his way, before his works of old.' And 
whence is it proved, that heaven and earth is ano- 
ther property? because it is said, 'Thus saith the 
Lord, the heavens are my throne, and the earth is 
my footstool; where is the house that ye can build 
for me, and where is the place of my rest ? as it is 
said, 'How manifold are thy works, O Lord! in 
wisdom hast thou made them all, the earth is full of 
thy possessions.' Where is it proved that Abraham 
is one property? because it is written, 'And he 



246 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



blessed him, and said, blessed be Abraham of the 
Most High God, possessor of heaven and earth.' 
Whence is it proved that Israel is one property? 
because it is written, 'Until the people pass over, 

Lord, till thy people pass over, which thou hast 
purchased.' And it is said, 'But the saints that are 
in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my 
delight.' Whence can it be proved, that the holy 
temple is one property? because it is said, ' The 
sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have estab- 
lished.' And it is said, 'And he brought them to 
the border of the sanctuary, even to this mountain, 
which his right hand hath purchased. 1 1 . Every 
thing which God hath created, hath he created, but 
for his glory; as is said, 'Every one that is called 
by my name ; for I have created him for my glory: 

1 have formed him ; yea, I have made him.' It is 
also said, ' The Lord shall reign for ever and ever.' 
Rabbi Chananya Ben Akashya said, the sacred 
blessed Being having been pleased to render Israel 
meritorious, he therefore multiplied for them the 
law, and the precepts ; as it is said, ' The Lord hath 
pleased for the sake of his righteousness, that the 
law may be aggrandized and glorified.' " 

The latter chapters contain much moral and 
social instruction; which, however, require explana- 
tion ; but I am sorry to say, the manner in which they 
are explained by the Rabbies is very deficient. It 
must be understood, that the Talmud says, every 
chapter, verse, and word, has got seventy interpre- 
tations ; yet when properly explained by them, it 
terminates upon one point as respects their laws. 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



247 



I am well convinced there are hundreds among the 
Jews who feel dissatisfied with the code of laws 
laid down by the Rabbies ; but they are afraid to 
ask any questions ; for this reason, lest they should 
be looked upon as hypocrites and self-righteous, 
and be cast out from among their brethren. 

I will now give my readers two instances among 
many, to shew in what manner the Jews are cir- 
cumstanced. 

It is well known, that the body of the Jews at 
large, are not dull of apprehension : their forms 
grow with their years, and they seem satisfied, as 
they are taught, being of the seed of Abraham, and 
keeping the laws laid down, they are sure to inherit 
the kingdom of God. 

If at any time a child, or those of riper years, 
should venture to ask a question, he is directly 
branded by those of whom he asks it, let it be his 
parents or Rabbi — " Here comes wicked Esau, by 
asking, how do you give the tithes of straw?" for 
this reason, the Talmud says, that Isaac himself 
was the seed of Esau, his son. 

The Talmud says, Isaac being a wise man, and 
one taught of God, how came it, that he intended 
to give Esau a blessing before Jacob, one that was 
wickedly inclined, and Jacob being of a virtuous 
turn of mind ? First, it says, Isaac was blind, and 
Rebecca, as you read in Scripture, in some measure 
deceived him ; moreover, you read, he felt Jacob's 
hands, which, by deception, were made hairy. 
Secondly, by Esau, who, in a kind of hypocritical 
question, asked his father, how they gave the tithe of 



\ 



248 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



straw, which put his father off his guard, and in this 
point was deceived j therefore, to this very day, if 
any question is asked, the party is invariably 
branded with the word — Esau. 

When I was a school boy, of twelve years of age, 
I asked my Rabbi, the reason why God was so par- 
ticular, when he commanded the Jews to bring a 
red heifer for a sacrifice, and not a white spot or 
white hair on it? He answered me thus, " My 
child, don't you know that every county, city, and 
borough, send members to parliament?" My answer 
was, yes, Rabbi. He asked me what those mem- 
bers were sent for? I told him I did not know. 
" Then," said he, " I will tell you : those members 
assemble during the sessions of parliament to make 
laws and rules, for the good of the kingdom at 
large, and every English subject must abide by 
them ; if not, he is liable to be imprisoned and 
transported ; because it is by their wisdom that 
the nation is ruled. Well, then, my child, don't you 
plainly see, that by those laws we must be ruled ? 
Don't you see that their wisdom must be great ?" I 
answered, yes. "Then," said he, " by the same 
rule all the Jews must be guided by those men, 
who receive the oral law, &c. They are superior to 
those who rule in state affairs ; because one is 
chosen by men, and the other by God. The Scrip- 
tures, my child, I have to inform you, appear the 
same as the ore dug out of the ground in Cornwall, 
which is of different descriptions, as it is dug out of 
the bowels of the earth. There are some of the 
mines from one to two hundred fathoms deep, and 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



249 



was you to see it, when brought to the surface, in 
its native state, you could not comprehend the 
nature of it, no more than you can comprehend 
the meaning of the Scriptures. In Cornwall, coals 
are very scarce, but across the channel, at Swansea, 
and the neighbourhood, they are very plentiful ; for 
this reason : the ore is taken over there to be sepa- 
rated and purified. Upon the same ground, the 
Scriptures appear to you in the same state as the 
ore is when dug out of the bowels of the earth. 
Now, we, your Rabbies and teachers, even from 
the time that Moses received the law upon Mount 
Sinai, are compared to fiery furnaces, to separate 
and purify the Scriptures for you in like manner." 

I will now describe the manner in which the 
Scriptures have been handled. 

The Talmud gives you the reason why the first 
man was called Adam. Tn English, the word 
Adam is spelt with four letters, but in Hebrew, it is 
spelt in three letters, ADM. It says, God did 
ordain, that the world should last as long as he 
sees good. The first man that was created, was 
called Adam ; the second man, who was a man after 
God's own heart, was called David, and the last 
man that ever will be born, will be the Messiah ; and 
when he comes, will bring the Jews to Jerusalem, 
and so occupy the ground. The first initial stands 
A. for Adam — the second, D. for David — and M. 
for Messiah ; which they say is the foundation, or 
reason why the first man was called Adam. 

It is the custom for every Jew, when fruit is 
brought on the table, and they seldom or ever eat 
2 i 



260 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



it without, to offer up this blessing — t( Blessed art 
thou, O Lord, our God, King of the universe ! 
Creator of the fruit of the tree !" It must be under- 
stood, that this prayer hath a two-fold meaning. 
One of which is, to bless God for his kindness. It 
is also said, that it sometimes happens, that Jews 
are so very wicked, that their souls, after death, 
are not even worthy to go to purgatory ; in that 
case it flies about in the air, and sometimes it may 
enter into the body of different kinds of unclean 
animals, and different trees; but for the most part, 
it enters into different kinds of fruit ; so that if it 
should happen that any of these evil spirits be in 
the fruit, then by a Jew saying a prayer over it, 
the said spirit will answer, Amen, and then fly into 
paradise. But on the contrary, if a Jew should 
omit saying these prayers over the said fruit, and 
there should be an evil spirit in it, it would enter 
his body, and there remain for life. 

Every Jew is strictly enjoined to keep six hundred 
and thirteen commandments. Gemara says, every 
person has six hundred and thirteen limbs, veins, 
and joints, in the body ; so for every limb, vein, 
and joint, there is a law or commandment to be 
fulfilled. The Rabbies say, how is it possible for 
one man to keep six hundred and thirteen precepts ? 
This is the reply : upon a fair calculation, there are 
nearly five millions of Jews in the world ; if some 
keep five commandments, and some keep two or 
three, and if many thousands should not even keep 
one commandment, God is satisfied : upon this 
ground, that among five millions of their people, 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



251 



six hundred and thirteen commandments are sure 
to be kept ; for God reckons all the Jews to be as 
one body — his chosen people. In my humble 
opinion, this throws great light upon the New 
Testament. In the ninth chapter of St. John, we 
read that the blind was restored to sight, and the 
Pharisees asked the parents, when their son was 
brought before them, saying, "'Is this your son, 
whom ye say was born blind, how does he now 
see?" His parents answered them, and said, "We 
know that this is our son, and that he was born 
blind, but by what means he now seeth, we 
know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know 
not; he is of age, ask him." According to the 
Jewish writings, a boy becomes a man at thirteen 
years of age ; which they say has been a rule by 
the law laid down on Mount Sinai. Then, if so, 
this blind man, who was restored to sight, could 
not have been many days above thirteen years ; for 
at that age, according to their law laid down, he 
must answer for himself ; as it seems the parents 
reminded the Pharisees, that their son was now 
out of their jurisdiction, and fully competent to 
answer for himself. This, however, I wish the 
reader to understand, is not to be regarded as a 
comment upon the text, but merely an idea of my 
own. 

The Mishna says, that every soul must live in 
this world seventy years. For instance, if a child 
should die this day at the age of twelve months, 
then if it were not for the teaching of the Rabbies, 
it would remain a stumbling block to the body of 



252 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



the Jews ; for they would say, the Mishna informs 
us, that every soul must live seventy years. How is 
this point to be cleared up ? when this child lived 
only a twelvemonth. You will find the difficulty 
removed in the following statement. 

The Rabbies explain it on this wise. If a child 
dies this day, for instance, a twelvemonth old, then 
this soul must have been in a former body sixty- 
nine years, to make up the seventy ; or it may be, 
that this soul came for the first time into this 
child's body, and the body and soul could not agree, 
so that the body died; then this soul has to inhabit 
another body, to make the seventy years : but if a 
soul is unfortunate, it may go into twenty or thirty, 
or forty bodies, before it shall live the term of 
seventy years. 

No doubt, this notion prevailed in our Lord's 
time ; for we read in the ninth chapter of John, 
first and second verses, 4 'And as Jesus passed by, 
he saw a man which was blind from his birth; and 
his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did 
sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born 
blind r> 

My readers, if at any time during your life, you 
were to get into conversation with any number of 
the Jews, and were to ask them if they are not 
sinners, they would answer, Yes. Every Jew knows, 
as far back as when their brethren were in the 
wilderness, that they were likewise sinners ; and 
could not find the remission of their sins, except 
they brought the sacrifice of bulls, and of goats ; 
and if you ask them if they have got any sacrifice 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



253 



at the present time, they will answer, No : for this 
reason, as out of the land of Judea no sacrifice 
is accepted. If a Jew confesses he is a sinner, and 
cannot bring a sacrifice, how is he to find remission 
for his sins ? 

Wherever the Jews congregate, and there are 
ten males of proper age, they erect a synagogue. 
Ten males are reckoned a congregation. Their 
customs, manners, and prayers are alike all over 
the world ; for instance, if in any part of the world 
ten males should meet by chance, they take the 
opportunity, if even for a day or two, to meet in a 
body in public worship. If among this assembly 
there should be an Englishman, or a Frenchman, 
or a Prussian ; in short, ten men of ten different 
nations, and all assemble under one roof, it might 
happen, that neither of them could give each other 
the time of day so as to be understood ; but still, 
when the time arrives for morning, afternoon, and 
evening prayers, they will rise at one time, and go 
through their forms, customs, and rites, the same 
as if they were born in one town, and brought up 
under one roof. Perhaps my readers may be sur- 
prised by my saying, that ten men of the Jewish 
body should assemble, and not understand each 
other in common discourse ; for I am well convinced 
there are ninety out of an hundred, who have an 
idea that every Jew can speak Hebrew ; but this is 
not the case ; for upon an average ninety-nine out 
of every hundred of the Jews at large, can say their 
prayers in Hebrew; but upon a fair average, par- 
ticularly in England, not ten out of an hundred can 



254 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



give the interpretation of the prayers. Not that I 
wish to cast any unfair reflections ; it is the same 
with the Jews as it is with the Roman Catholics, 
who say their prayers in Latin, but which many do 
not understand. I sincerely pray from my heart, 
and wish I could see or hear, that the same rule 
was adopted in the synagogues as is adhered to in 
the Roman Catholic chapels ; for then if some of 
their prayers are read in Latin, there are many 
others which are read in English, and likewise their 
discourses, so as every one can understand; which 
is not the case in the synagogues, for all their per- 
formances are in Hebrew. 

I now proceed to notice and explain when a Jew 
arrives at age, and becomes as one of their body. 

Every Jew rejoices, if he has a numerous offspring, 
particularly males. The father has to answer for 
the sins of his sons till they are of age. For in- 
stance, if a boy arrives at the age of thirteen years, 
then the next sabbath after he goes to the syna- 
gogue, and reads publicly at the desk, next to 
where the reader is stationed, and chaunts a portion 
of Scripture : if not capable so to do, one is read 
for him by the reader ; and after going through 
many ceremonies, the father of the said son, if 
living, but if deceased, the god-father of the boy, 
or the nearest relation, who has had the charge of 
him, goes to the desk, lays his two hands upon his 
head, and gives him this blessing, 4 'May you follow 
the same steps of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 
Amen and Amen.''' He likewise says, "This day 
you have arrived to manhood; and from this day, 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



255 



and henceforth, I am free from all your sins which 
you may commit hereafter ; and you have to 
answer for your own deeds ; from this day and 
henceforth you are reckoned amongst the congre- 
gation ; be strict ; keep the law and precepts ; then 
the blessings of the God of Abraham will be your 
shield and guide through life." 

Generally on those occasions, there is great 
feasting and merry-making among the friends and 
relations ; and the day after they are in duty bound 
to put their son to learn a trade, or set him to 
merchandize, and give him a stock according to 
their circumstances. 

I shall now explain on what foundation they 
rest their hope for the remission of their sins. 

If a Jew or Jewess is married, and have got 
male children, or if married and no children, or 
single persons, have it in their power to provide 
adopted children, or if not in their power so to do, 
they belong to societies, that after their decease 
their own children, or adopted children, or those pro- 
vided by the society, say prayers for the soul of the 
departed ; for they know no otherwise than that the 
moment the soul leaves the body, it directly enters 
into purgatory. Secondly, as soon as the deceased 
is laid in the grave, and covered over, an angel 
comes and strikes the deceased over the head ; the 
deceased then comes to life, and the angel says, 
" O you wicked ! O you wicked ! O you wicked ! 
now you shall answer for your sins." And as long 
as the soul is in purgatory, so long does the body 
remain alive in the grave, and feel the gnawing of 



256 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



the worms, for a longer or a shorter period, accord- 
ing to the sins which they have committed when 
alive. # 

When a man or woman dies, their children or 
adopted children, or those provided by the society, 
go night and day into synagogue, and say Kodesh, 
i. e. a prayer for eleven months ; under the idea, 
that every time a prayer so said for the departed 
soul, it rises one degree out of purgatory, and one 
degree towards paradise ; and when they have gone 
through this torment, then the soul lies dormant 
till a certain time ; of which I shall mention here- 
after. The reader may seem surprised, that the 
Jews should be so misled as to think, that by the 
living saying prayers for the dead, they would be 
of service to their souls ; but the proofs which the 
Talmud, Mishna, and Maimonides has laid down 
to them, would fill a volume. As a specimen of 
the tales current among them, and which produce 
the greatest influence, the following is given : 
' 'Rabbi Manessah was travelling in Spain, and saw 
on a hill at a great distance, a man with a bundle 
of sticks on his shoulder, who from being versed in 
the Calaba, he knew to be dead. As the Rabbi 
gazed, he saw the dead man take the sticks from 
his shoulder, strike a light, by rubbing two pieces 
of wood together, kindle a fire, and lay himself 
down, when he was soon consumed to ashes. Then 
came the angel Gabriel with a broom in his hand, 



* Prayers are said by children for their parents, but not by parents for 
their children. 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



257 



and swept the ashes together, and from them the 
dead man arose to life ; on which the Rabbi asked 
him, what he was guilty of while he lived, that he 
should have to go through such torments ? To this 
he replied, ' I have now been dead twenty years ; I 
was a most wicked Jew, doing every thing vile, 
except murder ; and the moment I died, I was 
doomed to go day by day, for a hundred years, 
to collect sticks in a wood, to set them on fire, 
and to be consumed as you have seen this day : 
twenty years of the time have expired, but alas ! 
eighty remain.' The Rabbi rejoined, ' Is there no 
help for you in the lower world ?' The dead man 
answered, ' Yes ; I have a son living at Andalusia, 
in Spain, and if he would say Kodesh, I should be 
redeemed from my torments.' 'Then,' said the 
Rabbi, ' why did not your son say Kodesh, accord- 
ing to the Jewish custom?' And the reply was, 'I 
was so dreadfully wicked, that I did not deserve it ; 
acting unkindly to my children, while I sinned 
against God.' 

"At this statement, the Rabbi promised to visit 
the son, and set out on his journey forthwith. 
After travelling many leagues, he entered a syna- 
gogue, and in the midst of the congregation, en- 
quired about the deceased people, and particularly 
the man who died twenty years ago ; but the answer 
was, 'That he must not enquire, as that person was 
very wicked, and his name should not be mentioned 
in the synagogue.' He told, however, what he had 
witnessed, and at length found out the son ; who 
no sooner heard of his father's condition, than his 
2 K 



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heart melted, though he stated that he had neglected 
to say Kodesh, because his father had acted most 
wickedly to himself, his family, and his God. The 
Rabbi entreated him to say Kodesh. That night he 
did so, in the midst of the congregation, and between 
eleven and twelve, the curtains of the Rabbi were 
drawn aside, and the dead man appeared, with one 
shining spot upon his body, and thus spoke, ' See 
the utility of saying Kodesh; the first my son 
uttered has delivered me from one year's torment, 
and every time he does so, I shall have a year less 
to suffer.' 

" The son was very diligent, and when he had 
said Kodesh the eightieth time, the father appeared 
again to Rabbi Manasseh, as a shining light, all 
glory, and kissed him, and said, 'Go and tell the 
Jews at large, the importance of saying prayers 
for a departed spirit : now my soul is perfected, it 
will go into paradise, and my sins shall be thought 
of no more !' " 

Now I will describe the manner in which the 
Jews expect their Messiah, and which is the greatest 
comfort they find in this life. 

They look for their Messiah to come on this wise : 
that on one of those days the trumpet will sound 
at Jerusalem, and the sound will be so great, that 
the Jews living in different parts of the world, will 
hear the sound thereof ; and the very moment they 
will be transformed into angels, and by the power 
of God, transferred to Jerusalem, where the Mes- 
siah will reign over them. They do not look for a 
spiritual reign — but a temporal one. But still they 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



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do not expect, after once they return to Jerusalem, 
there will be any more death ; for Jerusalem they 
look upon as their paradise. And all the Jews, who 
have died and been buried since the creation of the 
world, will work their passage under ground the 
same as moles, and rise on the same spot where the 
temple stood in the days of old. Then will the 
world at large cry and say, "O I have been undone! 
for now I mid there is only one God, and he is the 
God of the Jews ; and the Saviour who is now 
come, is the real Messiah, who was foretold in the 
Scriptures. Then as many of the world, who will 
lay hold of the skirt of a garment of a Jew, and 
say, £ I will go with you ; for I can plainly see, you 
are a holy and chosen people \ then those will be 
saved with the Jews." 

I must here mention, that the Jews do not look 
upon the world with disdain, as some have ima- 
gined ; but quite to the contrary : they pray that 
all might be saved 

Their love is so great for Jerusalem, that for 
centuries past, down to this time, many opulent 
Jews, in different parts of the world, arrange mat- 
ters, and go and settle in the holy land, to die and 
be buried there ; for they are given to understand, 
it will be a two-fold advantage. First, it will save 
them a tedious journey under ground when the 
Messiah comes ; and, secondly, in their graves they 
will not feel the gnawing of the worms. 

The Jews have a curious manner of making a 
man. I have already stated, that ten men make a 
congregation. Sometimes they can rise but nine 



260 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



men: to make up the tenth, they will take a boy, if 
only a day above twelve years old ; they will put 
him in the midst, and take an Hebrew bible, and 
put it under his arm during the prayers; which 
constitutes him a man. 

I believe it is not generally known to the world 
at large, since the destruction of Jerusalem by 
Titus, that at no time Jerusalem has been left 
unoccupied by Jews. At the present time, there 
are nearly six thousand resident Jews. They have 
an institution, called, The House of Learning, which 
is called Bice Amdrosh; and in this place there are 
nearly one hundred Rabbies supported, who study 
the law and traditions night and day, without inter- 
mission : their different classes attend in rotation. 

As every laborer is worthy of his hire, so in this 
manner are the Rabbies supported in Jerusalem. 
On the feast of Purim, money is gathered from all 
synagogues for the support of the Rabbies, which is 
done on thiswise: upon the desk, where the reader 
stands, a bowl is placed, and those who think 
proper cast in fourpence farthing, which is the 
amount of a shekel of Jerusalem money ; no more 
or less is accepted. Although it seems but a trifle, 
it amounts to a great sum ; and in this manner is 
their money collected. 

In the following manner the money is remitted 
to them in Jerusalem. There are devout men, who 
take their different tours to different parts of the 
world, to collect the money which has been given 
for the use of the Rabbies in Jerusalem. Those 
devout men, it must be understood, do not come 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



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empty handed; knowing every synagogue in their 
rout, they have to consign a certain quantity of 
Jerusalem earth, for the use of the congregations. I 
must give my readers to understand when a Jew 
dies, and is shrouded, and put in his coffin, this is 
the last office they perform : upon each eye they 
put as much earth as will lay on a shilling. So 
scarce was the Jerusalem earth in the late French 
war, when the seas were infested by the enemy's 
privateers, which prevented those men coming in 
regular time ; so for fear of disappointment, they 
were very sparing of the earth, and so applied half 
the quantity. Many persons may conjecture, that 
the rulers of different synagogues may he deceived 
by those devout men collecting earth as they go on. 
Certainly, if those men were inclined to act such a 
part, they might deceive the rulers ; but such 
cannot be the case. So particular are they on this 
point, as the earth comes to the synagogue in 
barrels, when the quantity is consigned to each 
ruler, he receives likewise a kind of invoice for a 
guide. Between this earth, in certain places, are 
different kinds of sundry articles, not for use, only 
for a guide ; for instance, it may be, as it says in 
the invoice: — four inches from the top there is a 
knife ; a foot beneath you will find a piece of cloth, 
and so on. There are different signs given, so that 
there can be no deception practised. # 

* It is not for the want of confidence in those devout men, but for fear 
they may be deceived by others ; for this reason, those devout men have 
occasion to consign the article into the hands of other men, according to 
circumstances on their journies. 



262 



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As the Jews consider they are to be saved by 
their own works, by forms, and their own deeds, 
and by repeating their prayers, it sometimes hap- 
pens that men are dull of apprehension, and cannot 
learn. Then if they cannot repeat their prayers, 
are they to be punished on that head ? No ; the 
Rabbies say, if a man is not capable of saying his 
prayers, still he is not exempted to perform some 
act or other which may be pleasing to God. I here 
insert one proof , out of many. " There was a Rabbi, 
of the name of Eleazer: being on his travels, he 
happened to espy a noble mansion on the road side ; 
he enquired of those who passed by, who resided 
there; he was told a pious Jew, one who delighted 
to entertain strangers. He took the opportunity 
to call at the mansion. The host of the house 
seeing a brother Jew, of venerable appearance, 
coming down the walk, he went, according to 
custom, to meet him, and shook him heartily by 
the hand, which is customary among the Jews, by 
giving each other a salutation ; at the same time 
uttering these words, Sholam Alcham, i. e. peace 
be unto you. When they entered the mansion, he 
told his guest, that board and lodging were at his 
service, as long as it was convenient for him to 
remain under his roof. When supper was ready, 
the wife and children, before they sat down at table, 
according to custom, washed their hands before 
meals. When they were all seated, all their eyes 
were fixed towards the door, which very much 
astonished Rabbi Eleazer, more particularly when 
he found one seat vacant, and the host of the 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



263 



house not there ; but shortly after he made his 
appearance, took his seat, and during the meal, he 
acted in a courteous manner to his guest. Supper 
being ended, he left his seat, and withdrew from 
the apartment; the family offered up their thanks 
the same as they do at every meal ; and when they 
concluded, the host made his appearance again. 
In short, every time the family were occupied in 
their different devotions, the host always retired, 
which very much puzzled and perplexed the Rabbi, 
who seemed very anxious to know the meaning of 
all this proceeding : he pondered within himself — 
what can all this mean ? Here I see a stately 
mansion ; the master seems to be a virtuous and 
devout man. It was not from the long acquaintance 
that he formed this favorable idea, but a rule he 
went by, seeing such hospitality and sincerity of 
the family, performing their prayers in such a 
devout manner. Certainly, my host must have 
set a pattern to his family ; then again, it is the 
duty of the head of a family to say his prayers, as 
a pattern to his children. If it were not for the 
conduct of the family which I have seen, I should 
form a different opinion of him ; but I will not be 
too hasty in my conjectures; for patience is a great 
virtue. That which puzzled the Rabbi most, was 
that every time his host left the room, a tear started 
from his eyes. Rabbi Eleazer took upon himself, 
on the first favorable opportunity, to ask his host 
the meaning of his withdrawing during family 
devotion. And it happened in the course of the 
day, Rabbi Eleazer was walking in the garden, 



264 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



contemplating on the beauties of nature, and he 
noticed in the midst of the shrubbery, a stream of 
pure water. After leaving this delightful spot, he 
heard a rustling noise ; he stood in such a situation, 
that he could see nearly over the garden, and not 
be seen, being a spot surrounded by thick foliage. 
He saw his host leaping backwards and forwards 
over the stream of water ; and every leap he took, 
he made a pause, and stedfastly lifted up his eyes 
towards heaven, and uttered some words, and then 
went down on his knees for the space of five 
minutes ; and when he arose, he made his obedience 
towards heaven, and retired. I stood amazed, and 
pondered within myself, what can all this mean ? 
This is a favorable opportunity, I will meet him, 
and enquire of those mysterious proceedings. They 
met, and gave each other the salutation. The 
host said to his guest, 'Friend and brother, I am 
glad to meet you alone; I have no doubt, since 
you have been under my roof, you have taken 
notice, that every time prayer is offered up in my 
house, you find me wanting ; I will unravel what 
may seem a mystery to you. 

"'You may form an idea, from my stately man- 
sion, equipage, and my domestics, that I am not 
of mean parentage ; I am the youngest son of ten 
children; having had loving parents, who watched 
over us with tender care ; our father being a pious 
man, he endeavored to instil the. same principles 
into the minds of his children ; he gave us education 
suitable to our rank ; he kept two Rabbies in the 
house, as our governors, and teachers ; but I am 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



265 



sorry to say, I was not in a capacity to learn; and 
they to the utmost strove to teach me, and I was 
desirous to learn, but alas ! all was in vain! which 
caused great grief to my parents. After they died, 
the property was equally shared among us. 

" It must be remembered, although T was dull at 
learning, not even capable of saying the alphabet 
by heart, much more my daily prayers ; yet having 
a heart and mind not void of gratitude towards my 
God, from whom all my blessings flowed, I regret 
to say, that from the time my parents died, (which 
was when I was at the age of fourteen) , until I took 
a wife, at the age of nineteen, I led a careless life. 
My wife also, was of devout parents, like unto my- 
self; but yet, alas! for the first two years after our 
marriage, I did not observe family worship, which 
greatly marred our pleasure. One day, while walk- 
ing in the garden, I heard my wife read these 
words from Isaiah i. 3 — 4 The ox knoweth his 
owner, and the ass his master's crib, but Israel 
doth not know, my people doth not consider.' * I 
pondered within myself ; I said I am worse than an 
ass; what have I rendered to my God for all his 
mercies ? Surely, he will expect, if I do not know 
my prayers, that I do something to serve him ; and 
from that moment, (which is now twenty years), 
until this present time, what I engaged to do, I 
have been enabled to perform, and shall, I hope, 
through divine assistance, till the time I die. 

" This was my vow : that when the time arrives 



* This was the only verse that I ever could retain in my mind. 
2 L 



266 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



for morning, evening or other prayers, and offering- 
blessings and thanksgivings, before and after meals; 
while others, I say, are occupied in these devotions, 
I will retire to a beautiful stream of water, in the 
midst of my garden, and I will leap backwards and 
forwards thirty-nine times, and between every leap 
I will make a pause, and look up to heaven, and 
utter those words — ' Lord, O my God ! accept my 
leaping over this brook, as thanksgivings for all 
thy mercies; thou knowest the secrets of all hearts; 
as I am not capable to say my set prayers, may 
my leaping be acceptable to thee, instead thereof.'" 
Rabbi Eleazer listened to this detail with surprise, 
and made this reply, particularly as his host asked 
him, if he was not convinced that God would be 
satisfied with his devotion. The Rabbi answered, 
" Yes, in one respect, but remember, that if you 
could not learn your prayers in your youthful days, 
certainly you might learn them in your manhood ; 
let me advise you, as you love your soul, and have 
now an opportunity, employ the present time, in 
a way which I shall suggest to you. I will take it 
upon me, if you will submit to my plan, that within 
four weeks from this time I will teach you your 
prayers by rote." To this the host agreed ; accord- 
ingly they were closeted for many hours every day, 
for a given time. In the course of the four weeks, 
the host had learned his prayers by rote ; which 
afforded great joy to the hostess, and all the family. 
It is, perhaps, unnecessary for me to mention, 
that the host left off leaping, for joy, and the 
Rabbi was much delighted at the event. The time 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



267 



now arrived for Rabbi Eleazer to take his departure, 
but be assured, he did not go away empty handed. 
His host accompanied him on a part of his journey, 
when they embraced each other, with tenderness, 
and took a final adieu. 

After Rabbi Eleazer had left his host but one 
day, sad to relate, he forgot his prayers, and what 
was still worse, he neglected to jump over the 
stream of water. Now mark the very solemn 
and awful consequences : as the Rabbi lay on his 
bed, between twelve and one o'clock in the morning, 
he heard a most tremendous noise, as if heaven 
and earth were rent in twain. Great drops of sweat 
poured forth from him, through fear and alarm, 
when, awful to relate, he saw an angel approach 
him, with a drawn sword in his hand, uttering 
those words, "Eleazer ! Eleazer! prepare to die!" 
Eleazer asked, why? "what have I been guilty of, 
to be summoned so suddenly?" The angel replied, 
"you have been guilty of depriving God of a faithful 
servant." "Indeed," replied the Rabbi; "I am 
unconscious of it; at once explain your meaning." 
"I will," replied the angel, "without delay." 

" The host, at whose mansion you were so lately 
entertained, was, previous to that event, a faithful 
servant to his God ; but not being able to pray, he 
made a solemn vow, to leap over the stream ; 
which vow he did faithfully keep, and which was 
pleasing to his God. But you have thought it 
adviseable to learn him his prayers by rote, which, 
although it was very kind on your part, and you 
thought it your duty so to do, in order to fulfil 



268 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



your promise ; yet when you left, your host imme- 
diately forgot his prayer, and also his vow. Now, 
therefore, if you wish to prolong your own life, it 
can only be done in this way : return to your host 
again, and impress upon his mind what has occurred 
in reference to yourself, and likewise the neglect 
on his part, and advise him to return to his former 
devotion." The Rabbi returned, had an interview 
with his host, and related the whole affair ; when 
the host returned to the observance of his vow ; 
lived to a good old age ; and the life of Eleazer 
was also prolonged to a very distant period.* 

The Jewish Rabbies give the following account of 
the alterations that happened in several parts of 
their divine worship on the death of Simon the 
Just ; and the signs of the Divine acceptance, and 
which had, till then, appeared in the performance 
of them. For it is said in the Jerusalem Talmud, 
that during the time of Simon the Just, the 
scape-goat had scarce come to the middle of the 
precipice of the mountain, from whence he was 
cast down, but he was broken into pieces ; but 
when Simon the Just was dead, he fled away alive 
into the desert, and was eaten of the Saracens. 
While Simon the Just lived, the lot of the Lord, in 
the day of expiation went forth always to the right 
hand ; but when he was dead, it went forth some- 
times to the right hand, and sometimes to the left. 

* The above account is handed down to the Jews at large, as a real fact, 
and as a guide to them, giving them to understand and believe, that a Jew 
can only be saved as the result of his works, and if he were to doubt the 
reality of the above, he would be at once branded as a hypocrite. 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



269 



All the days of Simon the Just, the little scarlet 
tongue looked always white ; but when Simon the 
Just was dead, it looked sometimes white and 
sometimes red. All the days of Simon the Just, 
the west light always burnt bright ; but Simon the 
Just being dead, it sometimes burnt, and sometimes 
went out. All the days of Simon the Just, the fire 
upon the altar burnt clear and bright, and after 
two pieces of wood were laid on in the morning, 
they laid on nothing more the whole day ; but when 
he was dead, the force of the fire languished in 
such a manner, that they were forced to supply it 
all the day. All the days of Simon the Just, a 
blessing was sent upon the two loaves, and upon the 
shew-bread, so that a portion came to every priest, 
to the quantity of an olive, at least ; and there 
were some who did eat, and there were others to 
whom something remained after they had eaten 
their fill ; but when Simon the Just was dead, that 
blessing was withdrawn, and so little came to each 
priest, that those who were modest, withdrew their 
hand, and those who were greedy, still stretched 
them out. 

For the explanation of this business, it is to be 
observed, that on the great day of expiation, which 
was a solemn fast among our nation, and kept 
every year by us on the tenth day of our month, 
called Tisri, two goats were brought into the inner 
court of the house of the Lord, and there on the 
north side of the altar, presented before the high 
priest ; the one to be the scape-goat, and the other 
to be sacrificed unto the Lord. The said goats 



270 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



were also to be of an equal age, stature, and price ; 
and in order to determine which of them should be 
for each purpose, lots were cast to decide the 
matter. The manner of which was as follows : the 
goats being put one before the right hand of the 
priest, and the other before the left hand ; an urn 
was brought and placed in the middle between 
them, and two lots were cast into it, (they might 
be of wood, silver, or gold; but under the second 
temple, they were always of gold). On the one of 
these was written, " for the Lord and on the other, 
"for the scape-goat;" which being well shaken 
together, the high priest put both his hands into 
the urn, and with his right hand took out one lot, 
and with his left hand the other, and according to 
the writing on them, were the goats appointed, as 
they stood on each hand of the high priest, either 
for the Lord to be sacrificed to him, or to be the 
scape-goat, to be left to escape in the wilderness, 
that is, if the right hand lot were for the Lord, then 
the goat that stood before him, on the right hand, 
was to be sacrificed, and the other to be the scape- 
goat; but if the left hand lot were for the Lord, then 
the goat that stood at the left hand was to be sacri- 
ficed, and the other to be the scape-goat, and there- 
fore it is said, that the lot for the Lord, during 
the life of Simon the Just, went forth always to 
the right hand. The meaning of which is, that 
all the while that Simon the Just officiated in the 
high priesthood, he always drew out with his right 
hand the lot for the Lord, and with his left hand 
that for the scape-goat; but after his death, it so 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



271 



happened, with each hand, that sometimes it brought 
one lot and sometimes the other. As soon as the 
goats were thus appointed, each to its proper use, 
the high priest bound upon the head of the scape- 
goat, a long piece of scarlet, (so called in the He- 
brew tongue), and this is that scarlet tongue which 
the Talmud says, always looked white, during the 
life of Simon the Just, but afterwards, sometimes 
white and sometimes red; and the change of red 
into white, being here spoken of, as a sign of God's 
acceptance of the expiation of that day. Hither 
may be referred, what is said in Isaiah i. 18. — 
"Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be 
as white as snow, though they be red like crimson, 
they shall be as wool." After the goat for the Lord 
was offered up in sacrifice to him, the scape-goat was 
brought before the high priest, who laying both his 
hands upon his head, confessed over him, all the 
iniquities of the children of Israel, and their trans- 
gressions, and all their sins • and having by this cere- 
mony, put them all upon the head of the goat, he 
was then sent away by a fit and proper person into 
the wilderness. The place where they led him to, 
was a rock, or precipice, at the distance of twelve 
miles from Jerusalem, where he was to be allowed 
to escape, and bear away the sins of the children 
of Israel. During the life of Simon the Just, the 
Talmud says, this goat was always dashed to pieces 
in the fall, on his being let loose over the precipice, 
and at the same instant the aforesaid scarlet tongue 
turned white, although the distance was twelve 
miles, and this was a sure sign of God's accept- 



272 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



ance of the expiation of that day : but after the 
death of Simon the Just, he often escaped, and 
flying into Arabia, was there taken and eaten by 
the Saracens. This is the true and real explana- 
tion of the scape-goat. 

In the Babylonish Talmud, it is said, that satan 
is the greatest talebearer in existence ; and his time 
is occupied mostly to gather the faults of the Jews, 
as a body, and, which, every evening he presents to 
the angels, and the angels present them to God, and 
on the day of expiation, God looks upon the body 
of the Jews, more holy than the angels, for this rea- 
son; angels were created to exist without food, but 
not so with men : now, inasmuch, as the body of the 
Jews afflict themselves, by abstaining from food on 
that day, God is more delighted with them at that 
period, than any other ; hence, God looks upon them 
then with pleasure. The Talmud says, that when 
the Jews were in the wilderness, Moses and Aaron 
and the elders, met together, to hold a consultation 
and, also to contemplate what measures they should 
adopt, in order to make friends with satan, and so 
prevent him from going to God with accusations on 
the day of expiation. Satan agreed with them, that 
if they would present him with a sacrifice, then he 
would be no talebearer on that day, when Moses, 
and the elders agreed to his proposition, and en- 
gaged to give him a scape-goat every year. But 
here I must close this subject, and let the curtain 
drop. 

The Rabbi Abarbanel says, when Moses came 
down from Mount Sinai, he was given to under- 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



273 



stand, that God sends angels from above to listen, 
mark, and learn the different conversations that may 
pass amongst the Rabbies ; as God has so ordained, 
that man shall be endowed with more knowledge 
than the angels. Angels were created as messengers 
of God, and can go no farther than the will of God 
permits them ; but with man it is otherwise ; for 
they may either follow good or evil. God looks 
upon the Rabbies as holy men; and to shew his 
great love towards them, it is said, that when the 
angels come before God in the morning, to ask 
certain questions of him, the answer is, go among 
the Rabbies, and enquire of them. As a proof that 
such is the case, I shall here relate the following 
most curious circumstance. 

The Rabbies say, a certain quantity of angels 
meet day by day, to enlarge upon matters of divinity, 
which have been discussed among the Rabbies 
below ; and it is their custom to relate to each other 
all they have heard. It happened, that at a certain 
time, a disputation arose among themselves, and 
they could not clear up their point on the subject. 
At this they were greatly puzzled, and to settle 
the question, they said the only Rabbi that could 
set the matter right was Rabbi Aaron. 

The angels immediately sent for the angel of 
death, and told him to go down, and take the life 
of Rabbi Aaron. The angel started off as swift as 
lightning, but came back again without the soul of 
Rabbi Aaron. The angels were all perplexed and 
astonished, and enquired of the angel, how it hap- 
pened that he came back without the soul ? His 
2 M 



274 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



reply was, " I had no power over him for it is 
supposed among the Jews, and firmly believed, 
that while a man is studying the law, the angel of 
death hath no power over him ; and as Rabbi Aaron 
was studying the law, this was the only reason 
why he came without his soul. The angels asked 
him, "Where did you find Rabbi Aaron studying 
the law VI His answer was, "Upon an oak tree." 

I shall now relate how Rabbi Aaron came to be 
seated on the oak tree. In a town in Poland, 
there was a decree issued forth, that all the Jews 
should embrace Christianity, or their lives should 
be forfeited, if they did not comply within four and 
twenty hours. The Jews took alarm at it; as 
many as could fly from the town, did, still many 
were left behind, and those who would not comply, 
were coolly murdered, being stedfast to their faith. 
Hundreds of them were overtaken by the soldiers, 
and shared the same fate ; but some escaped, and 
among the number, was Rabbi Aaron, the same 
one who was found by the angel on the oak tree, 
studying the law. 

The angels were now much perplexed, as to how 
they should get possession of Aaron's soul. They 
consulted in what way they might trepan him ; for 
they were given to understand, that he continually 
studied the law, both night and day, while awake ; 
and they considered, that it would have been of no 
use to take away his life while asleep, for they 
reckoned that a sleepy man is almost as useless as 
one that is dead. At last, they came to this con- 
clusion ; as they were sure to overcome him at 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



275 



last, they sent for the angel of death, and told him 
to go down where Rabbi Aaron was seated, and 
there make it to appear, that the field was full of 
soldiers, with drawn swords in their hands, and 
some of them climbing up the tree. "This," said 
they, "will put him in a great fright, and then he 
will leave off studying the law." Having so done, 
in the interim you must take away his life, and 
bring his soul to us. Thus it was said, and thus it 
was done. But 1 shall not stop to tell you, who 
were eye-witnesses of these proceedings, unless it 
were the Barbanal assassins. I must leave the 
reader to draw his own conclusions. 

The following is an account of how it came to 
pass that Moses became a man slow of speech. 
You read in Scripture, that as Moses was attending 
the sheep of Jethro, the priest of Midian, upon 
Mount Horeb, that he beheld a name of fire out of 
the midst of a bush, and he looked, and behold the 
bush burned with fire, and the bush was not con- 
sumed. "And Moses said, I will turn aside and see 
this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. And 
when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, 
God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, 
and said, Moses! Moses! and he said, Here am 
I. And he said, draw not nigh hither ; put off 
thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon 
thou standest is holy ground. Moreover, he said, 
I am the God of thy father; the God of Abraham; 
the God of Isaac; and the God of Jacob. And 
Moses hid his face. And the Lord said, Moses, 
the cry of my afflicted people has reached my ears, 



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I have chosen you, to be an instrument in my 
hand, to be revenged upon the king of Egypt, and 
all those who have oppressed the children of Israel. 
And Moses answered, O my Lord! I am slow v of 
speech, and of a slow tongue." 

Now, tradition says, if God did choose Moses 
to be a speaker to the house of Pharaoh, how came 
God to create him slow of speech ? The Talmud 
answers ; Moses was not born slow of speech, but 
this is the manner how it happened — Moses, from 
an infant, was brought up as Pharaoh's adopted 
child, and Pharaoh being very partial to him, had 
him in his arms one day, as a fond father would 
have his child, when it so happened, that Moses 
took the crown from off Pharaoh's head, and cast 
it on the ground. Now Pharaoh being a wise 
man, he soon suspected what would come to pass, 
viz. the upsetting of his government, and this made 
him very unhappy. He, therefore, sent for his wise 
men, to inform them of his suspicions, in reference 
to Moses ; but God being beforehand with them, sent 
the angel Gabriel to Pharaoh, in the form of a wise 
man. When, therefore, they came before him, he 
told them what Moses did, and the angel being with 
them, replied: "My lord and king, take no notice 
of this circumstance, for Moses is but a child, and 
this is altogether a childish action." Still, however, 
Pharaoh's heart was very heavy ; when the angel 
further said, " Suppose we try the merit of this 
child, whether he has knowledge, or whether he 
has not." Pharaoh replies, "How is it possible 
to find it out?" "Now I will tell you," says the 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



277 



angel, " what I would do; let there be brought 
forward two iron pans, one filled with gold and 
precious stones, and the other filled with burning 
coals : if Moses puts his hand into the pan of gold 
and precious stones, that will show he is a child of 
knowledge; but if on the contrary, he puts his 
hand into the pan of burning coals, then it will be 
a convincing proof that he is a child of no know- 
ledge." This suggestion was put to the test, and 
was highly pleasing to Pharaoh. Immediately the 
two pans were brought, and Moses being a sensible 
child, stretched forth his hand towards the pan of 
gold and precious stones ; but the invisible angel 
laid hold of the arm of Moses, and guided his hand 
towards the pan of hot coals ; when he took up in 
his hands one of the coals, put it into his mouth 
and burnt his tongue. This caused him to be a 
man slow of speech. 

Rules to be observed by Jewish females. 

Here I would mention a circumstance, which my 
readers will no doubt consider somewhat amusing. 
It is a general idea among many of the Jews, that 
the Jewesses have no souls, and this is the reason 
they assign for that opinion. It is a matter of fact, 
that among the Jews, the females are not permitted 
to join in the service of the synagogue, as man and 
wife, or as one flesh; but should it be otherwise, 
and that they really have souls, even then it is 
considered, that the prayers of the husband serve for 
both. It must also be observed, that the females 



278 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



are enjoined to observe other precepts which are 
laid down for them, and they are bound to pay the 
utmost attention to them, such as the management 
of all household affairs, keeping the culinary articles 
in proper order, and attending to the preparation of 
food, together with all other domestic matters. 

In addition to the above, the Jewish females are 
particularly requested and commanded, to observe 
with the utmost care, the three following precepts, 
viz. the lighting the lamps on the sabbath — the 
separating the offering of their dough — and attend- 
ing to their own pollutions. 

First. Let us consider the import of lighting the 
lamp for the sabbath. The Targum says, this com- 
mand must be obeyed, forasmuch as God created 
the world in six days, and rested on the seventh, 
which is a day of general rejoicing, and where light 
is, there is joy. In the house of every Jew, they 
have a lamp of a very curious construction, con- 
sisting generally of seven distinct pieces. The first 
piece is hung up in the best apartment, after which, 
the six other pieces are joined together by a small 
hook, and hung up in the middle of the room. The 
fifth piece from the top is so formed, as to contain 
the oil, and that piece has seven spouts, and in 
each spout a cotton wick. This curiously-con- 
structed lamp is manufactured in Holland, gene- 
rally made of brass. When I was a boy, there 
was seldom a house among the Jews without one ; 
but I am given to understand, that at the present 
time they are not so generally in use. If they have 
not such lamps now, as I have described, they have 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



279 



candles in lieu thereof. On Friday eve, when the 
Jewish sabbath commences, the master of the 
household goes to synagogue ; the wife then lights 
the lamp, and walks three times round it, with 
uplifted hands, and blesses God for his command ; 
and still further blesses him, that it is in her power 
thus to do. I must moreover observe, that they 
always have their table exactly with the centre 
under the lamp, where they take their meals ; and 
at all their feasts and holidays they light this lamp. 

Secondly. The following is the manner in which 
they separate the offering of their dough. In for- 
eign countries all Jewish females make their own 
bread for their household. What is used on the 
sabbath is made in a peculiar form, as a kind of 
twist ; but in England they do not find it so conve- 
nient to make their own bread. The bakers in 
London, for instance, find it a good trade to make 
those twists for the Jewish sabbath. Those bakers 
who supply the Jews the year round with bread, 
have no overlooker, except on a Thursday evening 
and Friday, when there is a Jew overlooker during 
the making and selling of those twists. There are 
a few Jewesses that still adhere to the making of 
their own twists. Those who do so, before they 
begin to twist it, separate from the dough, a piece 
rather larger than the size of an olive, and this 
they throw into the fire, and watch until it is con- 
sumed, and repeat a prayer, which is their sacrifice. 

Thirdly. They must attend to their own pollu- 
tions ; to the law laid down in Leviticus xiii. 2 ; 
and xv. 19, to the end of the chapter. 



280 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



I shall now relate what took place in the days of 
old, relative to a disputation between two great 
Reshivos, i. e. schools of divinity. One of those 
schools was in Jerusalem, and the other in Prague, 
a town in Poland. Their controversies arose to 
such a height for years, that it almost effected the 
overthrow of both of them, although at that time 
they were the largest schools for learning in the 
world. This caused great grief among the body of 
the Jews at large ; but contrary to their expecta- 
tion, this dispute was soon amicably settled. 

The dispute itself arose about what article was 
proper or improper to be used by the Jewish females 
in lighting their lamps. One said one article was 
the best, and the other said another : but as some 
hint had been given out during the dispute con- 
cerning the separation of the dough, and likewise 
about their meat, and a woman's separation, these 
disputes were easily settled among them. And 
that the Jews at large might know it was so, it was 
agreed by both parties, that every Friday night in 
the synagogue, this should be read the same as they 
would read a form of prayer, in a devout manner. 

I shall now give the translation in English, from 
the prayer book, which is used among the Jews. 

Mischna. 

"Sect. 1. What articles are proper for lights, 
and what are improper to be employed for lights 
for the sabbath ? We must not light up with cedar 
moss, nor with undressed flax, nor with the coating 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 281 

of the silk worm's ball, nor with a wick made of 
willow, or of the grass of the wilderness, nor of the 
moss growing upon the water; not with pitch, nor 
with wax, nor with oil of kik, nor with consecrated 
oil, prophaned and condemned to be burnt, nor 
with fat from the tails of animals, nor with tallow. 
Nahum, the Mede, says, clarified tallow may be 
used for lights, but the wise men assert, that boiled 
or not boiled, it may not be used for lights. Sect. 2. 
We must not use for lights, the oil condemned to 
be burnt, even on festivals. Rabbi Ishmael says, 
that for the honor of the sabbath, we must not 
light with resin. The wise men allow all sorts of 
oils — oil of sesamum, of nuts, of radish seeds, of 
fish, or of gourd seeds ; with resin, and with naphtha. 
Rabbi Tarphon asserts, we must not light with any 
but olive oil alone. Sect. 3. Whatever grows from 
the wood of a tree, is improper to be used for 
lighting, excepting flax; and whatever grows from 
the wood of a tree, is incapable of being polluted 
by the pollution of a tent, except flax. A piece of 
cloth, which has been folded, but not singed, Rabbi 
Eliezer declares to be unclean; but Rabbi Akiva 
avers it to be clean, and may be used for lighting. 
Sect. 4. A person may not bore an egg shell, and 
fill it with oil, and place it over the lamp, that it 
may drop therein ; nor even if it be a tube of earthen- 
ware: but Rabbi Jehudah allows it. But if the 
potter had originally joined it, it is allowable, 
because it then forms but one vessel. A person 
may not fill a dish with oil, and place it beside the 
lamp, and put the end of the wick into it, so that 
2 N 



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it may attract the oil ; but Rabbi Jebudah permits 
it. Sect. 5. He who extinguishes the lamp, because 
he is afraid of Gentiles, of robbers, or of evil spirits, 
or that a sick person may sleep, is not guilty ; but 
does he so to save the lamp, to save the oil, or to 
save the wick, he is guilty. Rabbi Josea allows it 
in any case, except with respect to the wick, 
because he thereby intends to form a coal. Sect 6. 
For three transgressions do women die in child- 
birth; because they are not careful of their sepa- 
ration, at proper periods ; of consecrating the first 
cake of the dough; and of lighting the lamp for the 
sabbath. Sect. 7. Three things a man must en- 
quire into, and remind his household on the eve of 
the sabbath, near to dusk. Have ye separated the 
tithe? Have ye made the mixture? Light the 
lamp. If it be doubtful whether it be dark or not, 
the certainly untithed are not to be tithed, and 
vessels are not to be immersed, nor are the lamps 
to be lighted ; the doubtfully tithed may be tithed ; 
sabbathical mixture may be made, and pots of 
victuals may be covered to retain their heat." 

I wish my readers to understand the above 
articles are not deemed among the Jews as argu- 
ments, but in repeating the above, they do it in 
the most devout manner. 

The proceedings which are commonly adhered to 
when a Jew or a Jewess are sick, and are in such a 
state that they are given over by the faculty, it is a 
common saying in such cases, "They cannot live, 
and cannot die." Whenever such a case occurs, 
the following is the method, the relations and 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



283 



friends adopt, in order that the sick person may be 
blessed ; but this is only resorted to when in great 
danger, and little or no hope of recovery. 

I shall proceed then to describe what is meant 
by this blessing, and also how it is performed. The 
nearest relation of the sick goes to the ruler of the 
synagogue, and informs him, that he wishes to 
have a sick person blessed ; this favor is never 
denied. At the ensuing service in the synagogue, 
after it is ended, the reader offers up a prayer for 
the sick person, and it is done by a stated form ; 
imploring God to restore the sick person. When 
they come to a certain part of the prayer, instead of 
mentioning his present name, substitute some other 
in its place; as for instance: the sick man's name 
shall now be called Benjamin, but they will say 
from this day, and henceforth, his name shall be 
called Abraham. If after his name is changed, 
he should die, the Rabbi says the prayers could not 
have been accepted of God; but if restored to 
health, God has accepted their prayers. 

It is said, every year, when sentence is passed, 
who shall die the year following by God's decree ; 
the angels make out the list accordingly. The 
destroying angel then comes every morning at a 
certain time, for a list of who are to depart this 
life for the following four and twenty hours. For 
instance; if a sick man, who has been blessed, and 
received another name, and God is pleased to 
spare his life, still his name is not removed from 
the list. When the destroying angel enters the 
sick chamber, where Benjamin lies, he lifts up 



284 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



his dart to take the man's life ; but in the very act, 
he starts back, finding, that instead of Benjamin it 
is Abraham. The morning following, he informs 
the angels of his mistake, and they reply, It is 
God's will it should be so. When the sick man 
is recovered, he goes to synagogue the sabbath 
following, and having advanced up to the desk, 
the reader offers up a prayer, or rather a thanks- 
giving, for his recovery ; at which time he is 
expected to cast in his offering, according to his 
circumstances, and which fund is for the poor and 
the needy. It is also to be observed, that at the 
time of altering the name of the sick, they cast in 
a like offering, for the same purpose. 

The Gemara says, the law did not allow iron to 
be used in cutting stones from the quarries, for the 
use of building the temple at Jerusalem. I shall 
not take up the reader's time, by giving a descrip- 
tion of this noble edifice, as it has often been 
recorded by different historians, and also in sacred 
writ. 

When Solomon prepared gold, silver, copper, 
brass, and precious stones, for the building of the 
temple, and workmen of all descriptions, he was 
perplexed how to get stones out of the quarries. But 
being a wise man, he considered, that when the 
two tables of stone which Moses received from God, 
on Mount Sinai, with the ten commandments upon 
them, and which were cut out upon those stones, 
were not cut out with iron, and in the same way, 
and in the same manner as those letters were cut 
out, so were the stones for the building to be cut 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



285 



out of the quarry. Solomon finding some difficulty 
on the point, prayed to God to inform him how 
he was to proceed in cutting out the stones ; when 
it is stated, that the night following, God unfolded 
in a vision the mystery unto him. 

Solomon having obtained this information, the 
next morning he invited all the chief Rabbies that 
were in Jerusalem, to communicate to them the 
happy tidings ; how that God had unfolded to him 
in a vision, the secret of cutting and polishing the 
stones, for the building of the temple, without the 
use of iron. He also invited the Rabbies to attend 
at a certain time, and then they would see the 
wonders of God. Accordingly, they assembled at 
the time appointed, according to the request of 
Solomon, and when they were all assembled, Solomon 
being placed on his throne, told them to be very 
careful, and listen to his injunctions, for they would 
see such an object before them as would make them 
shudder ; but assured them, that they must not 
utter a single word. He also observed, that if they 
did not obey this solemn injunction, they must 
abide the whole of the consequences. At this they 
all sat trembling with fear and astonishment, won- 
dering what he could mean by all this. 

Solomon now offered up a prayer, and lifting 
his eyes stedfast unto heaven, with a loud voice 
he exclaimed, 4 'Satan ! Satan ! Satan I arise, arise, 
from the bottomless pit, and make your appear- 
ance before my throne !" The same moment it 
appeared as if the whole palace shook from its very 
foundation, and seemed in a complete blaze. After 



286 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



the noise ceased, and the flame disappeared, satan 
stood before the king, in a great tremour, (for it 
seemed he well knew the purpose for which he was 
summoned) . Solomon now rose from his seat, and 
addressing satan, said, " I have sent for you this 
day, to put me in possession of the Shameer" 

Here it is requisite that I should relate something 
of the account given of this vision, and of the 
Shameer which Solomon beheld. The following is 
stated : 

God, at the beginning of the world, created one 
peculiar insect, the size of a barley corn, which was 
this Shameer, and it was designed for two purposes ; 
one was to cut out the letters of the ten command- 
ments on the two tables of stone ; the other was to 
cut out the stones from the quarry, for the use of 
the temple of God. When God first created this 
insect, he kept it in heaven, under his throne, until 
the time of cutting out the ten commandments. 
After this, God concealed it again, and no one knew 
where it was, except satan. Now as God had ordered 
it, that the building of the temple was to operate 
against the kingdom of satan, and as this temple 
could not be built without the aid of this insect, 
satan, quite contrary to his will, was obliged to 
bring it out from its concealment, and publicly to 
present it to Solomon, in the presence of the 
Rabbies, who were assembled together. I have no 
wish to insert what passed in the conversation 
between Solomon and satan, as it might tire the 
patience of my readers; but it is reported, that 
after many arguments, pro. and con., satan was 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



287 



obliged, though much against his will, to deliver it 
up, and which, we are told, was done in the follow- 
ing manner : — 

Satan appointed Solomon and the Rabbies to 
meet him, at a certain place near the sea-shore, which 
they did. Satan came at the appointed time, when 
he dived to the bottom of the sea, and when he 
returned he brought up with him, a stone folded in 
his arms, weighing nearly a thousand tons. With 
the greatest rage he cast it down, when it split 
asunder, and in the centre of it there was a cavity, 
and in that cavity there laid an insect, called the 
Shame er : and when Solomon and the Rabbies 
beheld it, they all shouted for joy ; but satan, on 
the contrary, groaned in anguish, and raved with 
indignation. 

The very next day, this little insect was put to 
work, and a very hard-working insect it was. His 
employment was simple, but particularly laborious. 
Solomon, by his wisdom, knowing the size and 
shape of every stone, which would be required for 
the building ; prepared a pencil, and with it he 
went to the quarry, and marked out the size and 
shape of the stones for the purpose. This being 
done, he took the Shameer, and put him on the 
pencil mark. Being thus placed, he crawled along, 
and neither turned to the right nor to the left from 
his track. As he proceeded the stone split asunder, 
and not only split into its required form, but 
was highly polished. Nothing more is said con- 
cerning the Shameer. 

In Genesis xxxii., we have an account of Jacob 



288 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



wrestling with the angel, where it is said, "That he 
touched him on the hollow of his thigh, and it was 
out of joint." 

Tradition says, on this subject, that if Jacob was 
a man so humble and so kind, how came God to 
permit an angel to touch him upon the hollow of 
his thigh, and the sinew so to shrink, that he could 
not walk upright, but was bowed as he went along? 
The Tradition further remarks, that God who knows 
the secrets of all hearts, knew that Jacob was proud 
to that degree, that he would not bow down to 
Esau ; and that he also knew, that if Jacob would 
humble himself to Esau, then immediately his wrath 
would be turned into love; hence, he permitted and 
appointed the angel to do what he did. Now we 
find, when Jacob went to meet his brother Esau 
on the road, Esau saw him afar off, and observing 
him bowing as he approached, and not being aware 
that he was wounded by an angel, concluded that 
he had repented of taking away his birth-right, by 
thus humbling (as he imagined) himself before 
him; and Esau's wrath was so turned into love, 
that running down the hill, he caught his brother 
Jacob in the valley, embraced him round the neck, 
and kissed him. A full account of which you will 
find in Genesis xxxii. 32. — "Therefore the children 
of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank, which 
is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day ; 
because he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh, in 
the sinew that shrank." And it is the custom of 
the Jews, down to this very day, that they will eat 
no part of the hind quarter of any kind of clean 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



289 



animals, except the veins are cut out, which is a 
difficult task to perform, therefore it is abandoned 
altogether. 

T shall now proceed to give a relation of one of 
their proofs of the ten tribes being at present situ- 
ated together in one body, and observe the same 
forms as when the whole body of the Jews resided in 
Jerusalem; even their temple, sacrifices, &c, which 
is recorded in a book called Sharish Yesreal, i. e. 
the history of the Jews, since the destruction of 
Jerusalem. This very book is generally bound up 
with the history of Josephus. 

I will give my readers a recital of the firmness 
of the Jews, in believing these records. 

Some time ago, I gave several lectures, in a 
place called Long Sutton, Cambridgeshire, to a 
very crowded congregation. After one of those 
lectures was ended, as the congregation were with- 
drawing, on my descending from the pulpit to the 
vestry, a Jew, who was one of my hearers, seemed, 
as I was given to understand, very uneasy during 
my discourse, which gave many of my hearers much 
pain; and still more so, when he came, with very 
heavy steps, up the isle towards the pulpit, to meet 
me. I must confess, I was very much hurried for 
the moment. The minister and many of the congre- 
gation seemed to take alarm, and came up to stop 
him, fearful of what might occur. They said they 
hoped he meant no harm ; he stood in a peculiar 
attitude, and said, "I come to speak to this wicked 
fellow, who run away from his God ; who deserves 
to die by the law of Moses." He pointed at me, 
2 o 



290 



FORMS, CUSTOMS AND 



and said, " I never saw you before, but I have 
heard of your wicked proceedings ; now I have got 
you, you shall not go from this place until I disgrace 
you ; by proving, before this company, that you are 
one of the most ignorant men in the world ; and if 
it were not for the Bible, you would not be able to 
stand up to give lectures. As for the Talmud and 
the Gemara, you are completely ignorant of them ; 
and to prove my assertion, I will proceed imme- 
diately, if you will stand your ground, and face me 
for one hour." At this time I stood at the foot of 
the pulpit stairs, when I asked him, what he meant 
by facing me for one hour? his reply was, "To 
show your ignorance." I told him, that was no 
reply. He said, "I will be plain with you, and 
ask you some questions which I know you cannot 
answer." 

I then said to the minister, and the friends, if it 
met their wish I would withdraw into the vestry, 
and hear what arguments he would bring forth; 
they consented, and we all went into the vestry. 

I said, " Friend, now you will proceed;" he replied, 
"Can you tell me where the ten tribes are, and how 
they are situated?" I answered, No; he said, "I 
thought so." He asked me again, "If I knew 
where the river Sambadion was situated ?" I an- 
swered him, No. He seemed to be very much elated, 
and said, " Gentlemen, I hope I have proved to 
you, that Hyam Isaacs is an ignorant man, and now 
I leave you satisfied;" and was about to withdraw. 
I requested him to stop, and I addressed him thus: 
in reference to the two questions he had asked me, 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



291 



I said I knew my reply to each question was, No ; 
but then I further said, you must not take No for 
an exact answer. I proceeded, and said, now, my 
friend, I will relate to the company present, what is 
your firm belief about the ten tribes, and likewise 
the river Sambadion, and in which I myself also 
at one time firmly believed, and if I make any mis- 
take, I will be very much obliged to you to put me 
right. 

The ten tribes reside at a certain place beyond 
the river Sambadion. There are nearly three mil- 
lions of souls, and the king who reigns at the 
present time over them has descended from the 
household of David. They have their temple, an 
exact representation of the temple of Jerusalem ; 
their high priest ; daily sacrifices ; their oracles ; 
Urim and Thummim ; the sacred fire from heaven to 
consume the sacrifices ; and independent of all this, 
they live in peace and harmony : in short, they 
have all things common. The walls round their 
city are so high, that they cannot see the summit of 
them ; and ever since the time they have been 
settled there, no stranger has been within their 
walls, or their territories ; for this reason, their 
walls being so uncommon high ; and further than 
this, they have, surrounding their territories, the 
river Sambadion. 

When I mentioned the river Sambadion, I was 
interrupted by the Jew, not in a way of insult, but 
to express his joy, being so well pleased that I had 
rehearsed the circumstance so correctly, and espe- 
cially when I mentioned the name of the river. I 



292 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



then asked him, if he firmly believed "all I had 
related? His answer was, "Yes, I do, and I well 
know you also believe it from the bottom of your 
heart." 

I then proceeded to state farther to him what the 
Rabbies say concerning this river. They assert 
that this river is so wide, and is so agitated for 
six days of the week, that no vessel could live 
therein. That continually there were stones flying 
from this river of immense size, having the appear- 
ance of pumice stone, issuing from the burning 
mountains ; but as soon as the sabbath commences 
this river is entirely dried up ; and if any person 
was to presume to venture across it, they would be 
lost; it being so wide, that the swiftest horse could 
not cross it before the sabbath would be ended, and 
the water return. 

I asked him if the tale I now told was correctly 
stated ; he replied, by calling me a wicked man, 
because I had used the term "facts" for tales, and 
was about hastily to withdraw. I asked him again 
to stop, and answer me one or two more questions; 
and I then thus addressed him. Then do you 
firmly believe there is such a river in existence? 
he answered, "Yes." I said, then have you ever read 
the voyages of Captain Cook, or Lord Anson? he 
answered, "Yes." I asked him moreover, if they had 
given any description of such a river ; he became 
angry, and said, " You well know from the bottom 
of your heart, that no Christian is worthy to see 
this river." I answered, well, I will submit, and 
you shall have your own way, for the present ; but, 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



293 



my friend, there is one question more that I wish 
to put to you on the subject. It is said, that since 
the ten tribes first settled in that place, they have 
never from that period, had any intercourse with 
any other people of the world; and that the river 
cuts off all communications whatever, so that they 
come across to no one, and no one could go to 
them. If this be the fact, what proof can the 
Rabbies have for this assertion? and what can 
induce the Jews at large to believe it?" His answer 
was, "Upon the same ground as they believe Moses 
and the prophets." 

After this conversation we separated, but he 
came again, and heard me speak to a congregation 
the two following nights ; and I was given to under- 
stand, that he was not so restless as he was the 
first night. As a proof of this, he shook me 
heartily by the hand, and we parted friendly. 

I shall now relate another account, taken from 
the Sharish Yesreal, and which is only one out of 
many proofs that might be given, that the Messiah 
is yet to come, and as they suppose, one thousand 
years after the destruction of the latter temple of 
Jerusalem. 

There were in Persia, a great many Jews resid- 
ing, and all the wise men of those times that were 
among the body of the Jews, and likewise the 
household of David, then under the king of Persia 
held different offices, such as prime minister, &c. 
in short, the nation looked up to the heads of the 
Jews as devout and wise men. It happened one 
day, that the king took it in his head, that he 



294 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



would kill every one that was in the least way- 
related to the house of David, inasmuch as he 
expected that the Messiah was about to come, and 
that he should lose his kingdom. Therefore he 
adopted the wicked resolution, to put an end to the 
seed of David, which he accomplished, as he sup- 
posed, by a dreadful slaughter. 

After this was done, the king was exceedingly 
miserable. All his former joy was turned into sor- 
row. His courtiers did every thing in their power 
to divert him from his melancholy situation, but 
without avail. One morning he arose very sorrow- 
ful, on account of a dream which he had dreamt 
during the night, and independent of this dream, 
he found a terrible gash in one of the temples of 
his head, the blood streaming over his face, and his 
bed stained with it. What with his melancholy 
appearance, and the blood streaming from his tem- 
ples, his chamberlain was struck with horror. The 
king immediately sent for his ministers, and told 
them of his frightful dream, and ordered them 
instantly to summons all the wise men of the Jews 
to appear before him, that they might interpret his 
dream. There answer was, "Alas! alas! there is 
not one wise man left among the Jews." " What 
has become of them ?" replied the king. "As they 
are no more, have they fled from my country?" 
" No," was the answer. " Then what has become 
of them?" They answered, "My lord and king, 
all the wise men who resided in your kingdom, 
were all related to one family, and of the house- 
hold of David, who have all been slain according to 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



295 



your decree, which has put an entire end to them. 
When the king heard this he trembled, and told 
them to go among the remaining Jews, and try to 
find a wise man that could interpret dreams. — 
After a very diligent search, they found an old man, 
whose name was Samuel David : he was imme- 
diately brought before the king, who, when he saw 
him, trembled, and large drops of sweat fell from 
face, lie swooned away, and appeared in such a situa- 
tion, that his physician despaired of his recovery; 
but after some time had elapsed, he came to him- 
self again, and with a faultering voice, said to the 
old man, "Can you interpret dreams?" he answered, 
"Yes." The king gave orders for the old man to 
be entertained, and to appear before him the follow- 
ing morning at eleven o'clock. According to this 
request, the prime ministers and courtiers were 
ordered to attend. All strictly obeyed; the king 
was seated on his throne, surrounded by his atten- 
dants, and all things being in order, the old man 
was summoned to appear. When he made his 
entry, they were all struck with astonishment, at 
his venerable appearance and with his white locks, 
and beard which reached below his girdle. The 
king arose from his throne and said, "Father, I am 
given to understand, you can interpret dreams." 
"I can," replied the old man, "I shall not cloak 
nor dissemble; whatever your dream may have 
been, I shall plainly interpret it to you, since God 
has endowed me with powers so to do." The king 
trembled, and sat down, and was so overcome with 
fear and dread, that he had almost forgotten his 



296 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



dream. However, the old man came nearer to the 
throne, and addressed the king as follows: ''My 
lord and king, I am sorry to see you in such agita- 
tion ; if you will permit me to relate the dream, 
and the interpretation thereof, I will willingly do it." 
The king nodded his assent, which was matter of 
surprize to every one present. He then proceeded: 
" My lord and king, you dreamt that you were in a 
beautiful garden, adorned with all kinds of choice 
trees and shrubs, flowers, fountains of water, fish- 
ponds, and a great variety of other delightful ob- 
jects ; all seemed to be enchanting and beautiful, 
so that you considered there was no king upon 
earth that possessed the like ; but in the midst of 
this joy and delight, you took it upon yourself to 
destroy the produce of this beautiful garden, by 
taking a hatchet and going from tree to tree, from 
shrub to shrub, and from statue to statue which 
adorned this garden, and demolished every delight- 
ful object it contained. As you approached the 
gate to quit the garden, ere you did so, you returned 
again, in order to be fully satisfied, that there was 
nothing remaining that might revive or spring up 
again. You traversed the ground over and over 
again, to be convinced that nothing was left ; 
when at length you espied a tender plant, just 
making its appearance above ground ; you lifted up 
your hatchet to strike at the root, when an old man 
stood before you, took the hatchet from your hand, 
and wounded you in your temple. The blow was 
so tremendous that you awoke, found the blood 
trickling down your face, and your bed stained with 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



297 



the same. If I have not faithfully told the dream, 
let the king say so." The king answered, " You have 
stated it exactly." "Now then," replied the old man, 
"I will give you the interpretation of your dream." 
The king replied, "I am too much overcome with 
surprize, and must request that you will postpone 
the interpretation till another day." The whole 
assembly were astonished and confounded, and 
were anxiously waiting to hear the interpretation. 

On the morrow, according to appointment, they 
all met. The old man came forward, when the 
king's eyes were intensely fixed upon him, and he 
addressed the king, by saying, ' 'My lord and king, 
I shall now proceed to the interpretation of your 
dream. 

" The beautiful garden, which you saw, and all 
that it contained, was an exact representation of 
the seed of David, whom you thought proper to 
order to be slain. When you first entered the 
garden, you seemed to be delighted at what you 
saw; in like manner was you delighted at first with 
the proceedings of David's seed in your kingdom. 
Now your going about the garden, and destroying 
every thing that was beautiful to behold ; is also a 
representation of the ruin that was effected by your 
order, when you commanded those wise and inno- 
cent men to be destroyed. Your leaving the garden, 
and returning into it again, to see if any shoots 
remained, denotes thus much, that those men who 
were employed Xo put your orders into execution, 
when enquired of, as to what had become of those 
wise men, their reply would be, 'They were all 
2 p 



298 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



slain.' When you stood with your hands uplifted, 
and with your hatchet ready to destroy the only 
tender plant, and was stopped in your career; 
this denotes that there is yet one of the seed of 
David remaining, according to God's word; and 
that a Messiah shall come from the seed of David ; 
this plant of renown which will grow up to matu- 
rity, and replenish the house of David." He 
continued, "The old man whom you saw in your 
dream, who stopped you in your pursuit, and pre- 
vented you from destroying the only tender root 
remaining." [The old man here made a long pause, 
and with one hand pointed towards the king, and 
the other across his breast, and with a loud voice, 
at the same time stamping on the ground with one 
foot, said], "I am the old man whom you saw, and 
it was I who took the hatchet out of your hand, 
and struck you the blow on the temple." The king 
trembled, and swooned away, and when he came to 
himself, he said to the old man, "Can I not, with 
your help, and your permission, cherish and water 
this tender plant, and see it flourish in my day and 
generation?" The old man replied, "Go to my 
God, who is your God ; humble yourself; offer up 
your alms ; and perform those works which are 
acceptable to him." The king promised he would, 
the assembly withdrew, and by the order of the 
king, the old man took up his abode in the palace; 
and proposed to meet again in forty-eight hours, 
to hold consultation, and endeavor to find out, if 
possible, this plant. The old man replied, "Before 
we meet again, God will lead and guide me to the 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



299 



spot where this tender plant is." The king told 
him he hoped his labor would be crowned with. 
success. 

It is to be observed here, that this old man had 
a niece, and the very day before the decree was 
given out by the king, that all the seed of David 
should be slain, one of the seed of David was 
married to the old man's niece, and the very day 
after, when this cruel slaughter took place, this 
young man was among the slain ; but it so occurred 
that when the old man enquired into the particulars 
of his niece, he found that she was pregnant, which 
circumstance gave him great joy. 

But the time for meeting arrived, the parties 
assembled again, and the old man communicated 
thus much to the king. ' 'The day before the decree 
was given out, that the seed of David should be 
slain, one of the young men had married to his 
niece, and the day after that event, was slain, but 
that his niece had since that found herself to be 
pregnant." The king immediately went down upon 
his knees, and made a vow, that he would take the 
widow and the old man to reside with him in the 
palace, and that he would act a father's part to her, 
and if she brought forth a son, he would cherish 
and support him. It so happened that they took 
up their abode in the palace accordingly. The 
time drew near, and the niece was delivered of a 
son, which caused great joy to the king, to the old 
man, to the mother, and to the Jews at large ; and 
great thanksgiving to God for his mercies. On the 
eighth day the child was circumcised, and the king 



300 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



gave him the name of Bostanio, which denotes 
garden. The boy grew up to manhood, entered 
into marriage, and had a numerous family, which 
made the seed of David to nourish ; and the king 
of Persia, according to his promise, all his life time 
was kind to the seed which sprung from this tender 
plant. This confirms the Jews in the belief that 
the seed of David, from which the Messiah was to 
come, was not destroyed. 

I shall now relate something of the great joy and 
prosperity the Jews expect to derive from the feast 
which every Jew will be present at, and partake of, 
at the time when the Messiah shall appear. This 
feast will consist of fowl, of fish, and of flesh ; and 
which God created at the beginning of the world. 
First, God provided a large fowl or bird, called 
Augal Loshder; also a large ox, called Shur Abour, 
and two large fish, called Leviathan. Here I must 
remark, that it is said and believed by the Jews, 
that when God created those two great fish, male and 
female, he considered, if those fish should propa- 
gate young ones, being of such immense size, the 
sea would not have been able to contain them ; 
therefore God slew the female, and buried it in salt, 
there to remain good until the time it would be 
wanted ; which will be when this great feast takes 
place. Then all the Jews, that have been born, or 
that existed since the creation of the world, will be 
restored to life. The table will be spread, and the 
provision placed upon it, and it is so ordained, that 
each one will take their stations according to their 
conduct in the present life. Moses will sit at the 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS . 



301 



head of the table, and next to him Abraham, Isaac, 
and Jacob; Aaron, Joshua, David, and the Prophets 
in rotation. I shall here describe the size of the 
bird, the ox, and the male leviathan; of the female 
me have no description. There have been much 
disputation respecting the sizes of those three living 
creatures which God has provided for the use of 
this numerous assemblage ; but it is not my inten- 
tion to tire the patience of the reader with any 
enlarged account of them. I shall onlv state, in a 
few words, that one dispute, among many, which 
has arisen concerning the size of the male leviathan 
is between three Rabbies; viz. Rabbi Simon; Rabbi 
Abraham; and Rabbi Mendel. The first Rabbi 
merely stated the size of the fish to be enormous ; 
the second Rabbi said he had no reason to doubt 
Rabbi Simon's word, but still the description he 
gave about the fish, seemed almost beyond belief ; 
but his assertions were somewhat strengthened by 
what he himself had seen, and which he should now 
relate. He was once sailing in the great sea, when 
he and the mariners espied a fish of such enormous 
size, that although they had a fair wind, after they 
saw one eye of the fish, they sailed five days longer 
in a direct line before they reached the other eye of 
the same fish ; which confirmed his belief in the re- 
port of the size of the leviathan. Rabbi Mendel 
says, what induces me to believe these assertions is 
as follows. Being an eye-witness, at a sea-port 
town, of a fish of an enormous size being washed 
in by the tide, when the tide went back it was left 
on dry ground, when hundreds of the inhabitants 



302 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



went with weapons, and killed him : when cut up, 
the bones of this fish were used for building, and 
there was a sufficient quantity to build twenty cities. 

Much also is related concerning the size of the 
ox, which was said to be so immense, that he eats 
up the whole of the grass which grows upon a 
thousand hills every day. 

The bird also was of an enormous size, according 
to the description given of it, but I must leave the 
reader to form his own idea of the statement. The 
Rabbies say, that one day this bird, in her flight, 
dropped an egg, which broke, and the yolk drowned 
fifty cities and villages. 

Absurd as this may appear, the Jews put confi- 
dence in these assertions. It may be thought 
strange, but I assure my readers, that they consider 
it a real fact, and generally in their conversation 
with each other, (as people generally say) , you may 
believe me upon my honor; so they say, so sure is 
it, as that I shall be a partaker of the feast with the 
Messiah in the latter days, and hear the sound of 
the trumpet. 

I now shall relate one of the chief causes, which 
is handed down to us, as the reason why the temple 
of Jerusalem was destroyed. 

In the days when Jerusalem was in its glory, 
there were two eminent men, who were looked upon 
by the high priest and the Sanhedrim as pious and 
devout men. These men were immensely rich, and 
of noble birth; being descended from the tribe of 
Judah. The name of one was Compso, and the 
other Bur -Compso. The greatest friendship existed 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



303 



between them for many years, but it afterwards 
happened, on what account it is not stated, that 
they became the greatest enemies; yea, so far did 
their anger rise towards each other, that each 
considered his person and life in danger. 

It happened one day after, that Compso made a 
feast, and gave orders to his servants to invite all 
his good friends to the banquet; but through some 
mistake, his servants understood him to have said, 
invite all my bad friends. After these orders had 
been given, the servants said to each other, "It is 
surprizing that our master, who has provided so 
nobly, should invite his enemies ;" when one of them 
answered, "I am not surprized at all, I have been a 
long time in his service, and know well his temper; 
he says many things in his passion, for which he 
relents afterwards. Master is now growing old, 
and wishes to be at peace with every one before he 
dies; and he has taken this method to effect it, 
and in my opinion, there is one in particular of the 
name of Bur-Compso. Now I am convinced, master 
would not like to depart this life, without being 
reconciled to him, for I well know the friendship 
that used to exist between them formerly." 

The servants, according to their instructions, 
gave the invitation. When the time arrived, the 
guests assembled, and among them was the high 
priest, the Sanhedrim, and nobles of Jerusalem; who 
when they saw some of the company, whom they 
knew formerly to be at variance with the master of 
the feast, they were overjoyed, and looked upon it 
as a renewing of friendship ; and more so, when 



304 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



they saw present Bur-Compso. They all took their 
sittings round the table; the host made his appear- 
ance, and when he entered the feast chamber, he 
was struck with surprize, and looked stedfastly at 
the company, particularly upon Bur-Compso. He 
approached him, when he thus addressed him : 
" How dare you to have attempted to enter my 
mansion, and seat yourself among my guests, and 
thus turn my joy into sorrow?" Bur-Compso, struck 
with panic, thus replied: " Sir, I have not come 
under your roof without an invitation, and which 
was a very pressing one, received from your ser- 
vant, by your express desire." 

The host withdrew in a rage, and called 'his 
servants and said, "What have you been guilty of? 
Can it be true what I have heard, and what I have 
seen, viz. all mine enemies seated in my guest 
chamber? How came this to pass?" The servants 
replied, "We understood you to have said — invite 
my good and bad friends to the feast?" When he 
had found out the mistake, which his servants had 
made, he returned again to the guest chamber, and 
went towards Bur-Compso, and thus addressed him: 
" Rise from your seat, and quit my mansion, you 
are here only by mistake ; I have been given fully 
to understand how this mistake happened." Bur- 
Compso replied, "Do not affront me before the high 
priest, and this noble company; I will pay you 
part of the expense ; do not put me to this public 
shame." The host made for answer, " I will not 
agree to your proposals." "Hear," says Bur- 
Compso, " I will pay the cost of the whole feast." 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



305 



The answer was, "No," and immediately ordered 
his servants into the room, to lay hold of Bur- 
Compso, and put him out of the house by force 
and violence. The servants came in; Bur-Compso 
arose from his seat, and thus replied, "I will save 
your servants the trouble ;" but when in the act of 
withdrawing, he made a stand, and thus spoke to 
the high priest, and to the Sanhedrim: "For this 
disgrace which I have received in your presence, 
and neither you, nor any one of your associates, 
having attempted to pacify the host in my behalf ; 
for this neglect of duty, you will long remember this 
day, and have cause to rue the event." Having said 
this, he withdrew. 

The day after this occurred, Bur-Compso went 
to the Roman emperor, and informed him of a 
secret conspiracy, carried on among the rulers of 
Jerusalem to cast off the yoke of the Roman 
Empire. The emperor replied, "I have only your 
bare word to take, I will seek further, and if such 
be the case, you shall not go unrewarded." But 
Compso replied, "Delays are dangerous, at this very 
moment they are ripe for revolt. If it please the 
emperor, I will prove, within eight days, what I 
have stated to be the fact, and if the emperor will be 
ruled by me, I will take care that one of your 
courtiers shall be put in possession of the parti- 
culars in the same way, as I have been myself, and 
prove that they are in a state of rebellion at the 
present time. 

The emperor said, "State to me how you can 
satisfy me on that point." He answered "Let the 
2 Q 



306 



FORMS, CUSTOMS AND 



emperor send by me a calf to the temple at Jeru- 
salem, and beg the high priest to offer it up as a 
sacrifice. If he offers it up according to your com- 
mand, it will be a sign that what I have stated 
is false, and let me suffer death by your hand ; but 
should they refuse to offer it up as a sacrifice, then 
you will find my assertion to be true." The em- 
peror agreed; he sent a fine calf by the hand of 
Compso, and some of his nobles as witnesses, that 
he might be satisfied whether the assertion were 
true or not. 

The day after Compso took his departure for 
Jerusalem, with the calf in his possession, in com- 
pany with the emperor's confidential servants. 
Compso secretly made a blemish on the upper lip of 
the calf in such a manner, that no one could per- 
ceive, except the high priest, who examined all 
animals before they are offered up for sacrifice. 
When they arrived at Jerusalem, Compso took the 
calf to the high priest, with the order of the em- 
peror, and the nobles with him, who were appointed 
on this occasion as eye-witnesses. They were all 
ordered to attend the next day to witness the 
sacrifice. 

Upon this order being given, the emperor's con- 
fidential servants, concluded, that what Compso had 
asserted, was false in every respect, and that his 
life would be forfeited. 

Now it gave the priests the highest satisfaction 
and joy, that the emperor should look with such 
delight upon the temple of God and his command- 
ments, by offering up a sacrifice to the God of 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



307 



Israel. This circumstance afforded them the highest 
delight. 

The next morning, according to the usual cus- 
tom, the calf was taken into the outer court of the 
temple, where they examine all animals before they 
are offered up for sacrifice, to see that they have 
no spot or blemish upon them. When this calf 
was examined, which the emperor had sent for a 
sacrifice, they found a blemish upon its upper lip, 
which rendered it quite unfit for the use of the 
temple. 

At the time of the sacrifice, when they were all 
assembled, the emperor's calf was returned, in 
consequence of having this blemish on its upper 
lip. They took it back to the emperor, and in- 
formed him what had happened, and the reason 
why it was rejected; at the same time requesting 
that the emperor would not suppose that the calf 
was objected to without a sufficient cause; although 
they had little or no doubt, but, that if the emperor 
himself were to examine the upper lip of the calf, 
he would not be able to discover any blemish, not 
being aware of the customs of the Jews ; but if so, 
Compso could fully satisfy him on that point ; and 
that if the emperor should be disposed to send 
another calf ; nay, even an hundred animals, they 
would offer them up as sacrifices, upon his part, 
provided they should be perfectly free from blemish. 

When they delivered this message, the emperor 
said to Compso, " If it were not you who were to 
point out to me the blemish of the upper lip of 
the calf, I should consider it as a bad omen, and 



308 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



that they were about to rebel against me, accord- 
ing to the information you had given me." Compso 
thus replied : " Dearest emperor, I am sorry it has 
fallen to my lot, to state to you the wickedness of 
the rulers in Jerusalem, towards you. The send- 
ing back your calf, was only an idle excuse, to 
prolong the time in order the better to accomplish 
their cruel design against you ; for there is no 
blemish in the calf. I trust I have done my duty 
towards the emperor, but sorry I am, that the 
rulers at Jerusalem, should have conducted them- 
selves in the manner they have done." The emperor 
was satisfied with what Compso communicated, and 
rewarded him according to promise. 

The emperor collected his army together, and 
made a vow he would march to Jerusalem, and 
never leave it until he had rased the walls, and 
destroyed the temple, and every thing therein, and 
slain all their men of renown. He got every thing 
ready — marched towards Jerusalem ; but what took 
place would be useless for me here to mention, as 
Josephus, the Jewish historian, gives a full account 
of the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. 

After the temple was burnt, it is stated, that 
God began to cry, and sitting down in the midst 
of the ashes, said, " The foxes have holes, the birds 
have nests, but my children, who have escaped this 
slaughter, have no where to lay their head, and 
their enemies rejoice." 

God also said, " I had only one resting place 
upon the earth, and that is now totally consumed; 
I will take away my Holy Spirit from Jerusalem 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



309 



for a time, and take my resting place again in 
heaven, for my children have acted a base part ; 
after I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, 
and conducted them through the Red Sea — drowned 
their enemies — led them forty years in the wilder- 
ness — gave them Moses for a leader —delivered the 
law on Mount Sinai— rained manna from heaven — 
after Moses died led them by Joshua into the land 
of promise, and gave them every thing that could 
make life desirable ; yet, alas ! after all they have 
acted with ingratitude, and this has been the awful 
result : they have brought destruction upon them- 
selves for a time ; and not only so, but they have 
sinned and have brought disgrace upon me their 
God, so that the idolatrous nations laugh me to 
scorn." 

This complaint of Jehovah was so loud, that one 
of the archangels came down to him to endeavor 
to pacify him in his affliction, and said, " O my 
God, dry up your tears and cry no more;" but 
God said, " I will not be pacified;" and further 
said, "If you will not let me cry here upon these 
ruins, I will go into a place where ye cannot follow 
me." The archangel left him after a short time, 
and he went up into heaven, and said to the angels, 
"Go for Jeremiah." Jeremiah was accordingly 
brought before him, although he had departed this 
life some time before. God then said to the angels 
and to Jeremiah," We will now go down to Jerusa- 
lem, and examine every part, to see what havoc 
the enemy hath made." When they came down, 
God beheld the ruins and desolation, and ex- 



310 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



claimed, " Here stood my house, and my only 
resting place upon earth. Alas ! it is no more. 
All the priests, the Levites, and singers are des- 
troyed ! Alas ! I am this day compared to a father, 
who had an only son upon the point of getting 
married, and the day arrives, and on his wedding 
day he dies ! Alas ! alas ! where can there be 
a greater sorrow?" And God said to Jeremiah, 
"Go and call Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses 
out of their graves, and let them cry, for they have 
much reason to cry, through the misconduct of 
their children." Jeremiah gave for answer, "I do 
not know where the grave of Moses is." God 
answered, "Go upon the banks of the river Jordan, 
and call with a loud voice, Moses, Moses, rise out 
of your grave, for your sheep have gone astray." 
Jeremiah accordingly went to the cave of Abraham, 
Isaac, and Jacob, and said, "Rise, your presence is 
wanted before God." They asked him, "What can 
this mean that we are wanted this day more than 
any other?" He gave for answer, "I do not 
know." The reason he gave this answer was, if he 
had told them this woful tale, they might have 
reproved him by saying, "Jf you were their pro- 
phet, why did you not chastise them, and keep them 
within bounds?" He then left them, and met Moses 
on the way going to God. Moses asked the same 
question as Abraham did, and he gave the same 
answer, "He did not know." Then Moses, it is 
said, altered his mind ; and said before Tenter in 
the presence of God, " I will go to some of the 
angels who knew me from the time I received the 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



311 



law upon Mount Sinai, and they will put me in full 
possession what all this means. " 

When he came to the angels, he asked them, 
"If they could inform him the reason that God 
sent for him?" They seemed surprized at the ques- 
tion, and said, " Do you not know the temple is 
destroyed, and part of your children slain, and the 
remainder taken prisoners?" As soon as Moses 
heard this, he began to cry bitterly, when the 
angels and Moses went to meet Abraham, Isaac, 
and Jacob, who all went together to meet God. 
When they came to the spot, and God saw them, he 
began to cry again; and Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and 
Moses joined in the lamentation. Abraham tore 
the hair from his head, covered his head with ashes, 
and said, "Oh my God, why am I come to this 
shame, to see my children thus destroyed !" God 
replied, "They deserved it." When Abraham said, 
"How came you to let my children be served so ?" 
The angels were much affected, and wept, to see 
Abraham in such anguish, and God himself asked 
the reason why it was? They answered, "They 
wept to see their friend Abraham, in such trouble, 
concerning the children of Israel." When God 
replied, "They brought it upon themselves, by doing 
every thing contrary to my laws." Abraham said, 
"Can you bring any one as witness against them?" 
and God said, " The law itself is present, and will 
give witness against them." Then Abraham ad- 
dressed himself to the law on this wise: "My 
daughter, are you not ashamed of yourself, to come 
this day to give witness against my children, who are 



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FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



in such bitterness of soul ? Remember, when God 
went from nation to nation with you, no one would 
receive you except my children; who came to 
Mount Sinai, and accepted you." The moment the 
law heard this, she sighed, and would not appear 
as a witness against them. 

Readers, if I were to relate more of what is 
recorded about Moses, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, 
and the prophets, in their accusations against God, 
for permitting the children of Israel to be so dealt 
with by their enemies, it would make you shudder; 
therefore, I draw a veil over this proceeding. 

I shall now advance to relate what is currently 
reported of the miserable sufferings of Titus, who 
destroyed the temple. 

After Titus destroyed the temple of Jerusalem, 
laid the city waste, took the Jews captives, and 
sold them for slaves, he took shipping, to go to 
Rome. When he came near land, a storm arose, and 
he expected every moment that his whole fleet 
would have been swallowed up in the deep. He 
stood in the midst of his nobles, and pointed with 
his finger towards heaven, and thus spoke: "You 
are certainly a God, your strength lieth by water. 
The first advantage you took was, you drowned the 
world by a flood. — Secondly, you drowned Pharaoh 
and his host, in the Red Sea. — Thirdly, Jonah was 
cast out of a vessel into the midst of the sea ; so 
at the present time you take advantage of me, 
of my nobles, and shipping. Your strength lies 
only in the waters ; upon land you have no power, 
for if you had, you might have prevented me from 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



313 



conquering those who you have called your people ; 
if you permit me to come upon dry land again, 
then you will see if you can stand against myself 
and army." 

Immediately a voice was heard from heaven, 
uttering those words, "O you wicked! O you 
wicked man ! you shall be permitted, with all your 
host, to come safe to shore; but remember, the 
moment you step upon dry land, a small fly shall 
go to war with you, and shall conquer you." Titus 
heard it, laughed, and treated it with derision. 

The moment he came on land, he seemed to be 
in trouble, and began as it were fighting, and, after 
some time, he fell to the ground, and was taken up 
speechless, and brought home. It was his inten- 
tion to make his entry into Rome as a mighty 
conqueror, but God frustrated his design. 

After some time he recovered, so far as to be able 
to walk out in the air. All the physicians at Rome 
could not find out his disorder, which laid in his 
brain. Titus complained, that he felt a kind of 
gnawing in his brain. It happened one day as he was 
walking by a blacksmith's shop, they were striking 
on the anvil, and to the surprize of Titus, he felt no 
pain at that moment. After this he hired a man, got 
an anvil, and whenever he sat, rode, or walked, he 
employed him to strike upon the anvil, and by 
which means he found ease. He ofttimes con- 
fessed, it was a judgment of God upon him, because 
he defied him when at sea; and likewise for the 
cruelties he committed at the siege of Jerusalem, 
by destroying the city, burning the temple, and 
2 R 



314 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



massacreing so many thousands of the poor Jews; 
and many times he engaged some of the Jews to 
strike upon the anvil, but never paid them for so 
doing. The reason he did not pay them was this, 
he told them it was quite enough for them to 
behold his misery, as a punishment inflicted upon 
him, by God, for his past conduct towards their 
nation . 

From the time of his conquering Jerusalem, 
coming to Rome, and departing this life, was just 
seven years. During that time, he made his will, 
which was to be opened immediately on his depar- 
ture from this life; this was accordingly done, 
and the following is said to be a copy. 

"In four and twenty hours after I depart this 
life, I hereby request my physicians to open my 
head for inspection, in order to find out the cause, 
if they can, that produced the gnawing pain I have 
so long felt, and afterwards burn my body to ashes | 
then grind it into powder, and divide it into seven 
equal parts, which seven parts, I desire may be 
cast upon seven different seas;" all which was 
done accordingly. 

For in obedience to this injunction, the physicians 
met, and opened his head; and think what was their 
surprize, when they discovered the cause of the 
complaint in his head, to be neither more or less 
than a fly, as large as a pigeon, two years old, 
which had taken up its abode there. The body of 
this bird was composed of iron, its legs of cop- 
per, its wings and all other parts of steel. The 
Rabbies say, they have no doubt, but that when 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



315 



Titus came on shore, and stood in the attitude of 
fighting, it was with a ny, and this insect flew up 
his nostrils, gnawed his brain, and grew to this 
immense size. They moreover state, that it was 
one of the wonderful works of God, to transform 
the substance of this natural fly into different kinds 
of metal. 

I shall here relate the particulars of an interview 
I myself had with one of the Jewish Rabbles. 
About twenty -five years ago, I was taking a walk 
with a Rabbi, in rather a secluded spot. We con- 
versed freely together on different points, of the 
Jewish traditions, and in a manner which he would 
not have done, had we been in public. Our topic 
was concerning the fly that was found in the head 
of Titus. His opinion was, that it was not a fly, 
but that it was a young eagle. I asked him how 
he could conjecture such a thing? He told me 
he had ample reasons for it. He likewise said, 
that his father was informed of the circumstance 
by a Roman Catholic priest, who said, that the 
reason why they have an eagle for an ensign on 
their colors is in remembrance of the eagle that 
was found in the head of Titus; and which was 
preserved in spirits, and kept as a memorial of 
the event to this very day. 

The Gemara says, in reference to the golden 
calf, which Aaron made, that the Jews at large 
were much surprized, and well they might be, at 
this circumstance, if it were not clearly to be 
proved, that it was far from the intention of Aaron 
at the time to make a molten calf; nor were the 



316 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



Jews so wicked in those times as is generally sup- 
posed. The fact was this : when many of the Jews 
came to Aaron, and requested him to make them 
a molten calf, he was frightened at the idea of 
denying them ; and to comply, he well knew 
would be sinning against God. He was satis- 
fied, from inspiration, that his brother Moses 
would come down from the Mount the next day, 
and merely to pacify them for the present, this plan 
suggested itself unto him. If I ask them for gold 
and silver in coin, they will instantly produce it; 
therefore, he bid them to ask their wives and 
daughters if they were willing to give up their gold 
and silver ornaments for the purpose. These were 
speedily brought to Aaron, contrary to his expec- 
tation, which placed him in great difficulties. His 
motive was good, for he considered that females 
generally put too great a value upon their trinkets, 
so easily to part with them ; therefore, he expected 
to be refused, and that he should get rid of the 
difficulty; but alas! it was not the case, which 
circumstance, they consider exonerates Aaron on 
this point, for he fully expected to have delayed 
the business, .and given Moses sufficient time to 
have made his appearance. 

The Gemara proceeds further to state, that in 
reference to that part of the Jews who did prevail 
upon Aaron to make them a molten calf, it was 
not done from any principle of wickedness ; no, but 
it was entirely a mistake. For on the morning 
of the fortieth day, the time when Moses was to 
have made his appearance, and the Jews finding 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



317 



he did not do so, according to his promise, it was 
this, and this only that caused them to act as they 
did. Now the mistake is thus accounted for. 
Towards the evening of the first day, they calculate 
it to be the first day of the fortieth, when instead 
of this, they should not begin to reckon till the 
next morning, which circumstance, rectifies the 
mistake according to the Gemara. 

The Gemara farther asks this question, Who 
were the men that were the instigation, or cause of 
Aaron making this calf? None of them were of 
the seed of Abraham, but they were of the Egyp- 
tians, such as followed the Jews out of Egypt, with 
the exception of one, who was called by the name 
of Mecho ; and here, perhaps, it will be necessary 
that I should give you some account of who this 
Mecho was. According to the account of the 
Rabbies, you must take the following sequel. 

The Scriptures make mention of the decree of 
Pharaoh, that all the male children should be 
drowned. This is what the Talmud records. They 
moreover state, that Pharaoh was so enraged against 
the Jews, that he thought drowning the males 
would put an end to their lives too quick ; there- 
fore, he gave orders, that some of the male children, 
instead of drowning them, should be buried alive, 
in the following manner, viz. in building the walls, 
which were then in progress, those children were 
to be enclosed, or walled therein. 

Moses, on seeing the cruelty about to be prac- 
tised on these children, fell prostrate on the ground 
before the Lord, and thus spoke, "O Lord, God of 



318 



FORMS, CUSTOMS AND 



the universe ! who created heaven and earth, and 
all therein, have pity upon those dear children ; 
my God, those children are innocent, they do not 
deserve this treatmeut at the hands of wicked 
Pharaoh." Immediately, a voice from heaven 
spoke as follows: "Moses, arise, I am a just God, 
and what may "seem to you wrong, concerning 
these children, in due time, will be unfolded to 
you." With this Moses was satisfied. 

The day following, Moses saw several children 
again buried alive, when a voice from heaven said 
unto him, " Take one of those children under your 
care." Moses asked the task-master if he would 
permit him to have one of those children, to which 
he assented. Moses took him home, and adopted 
him as his own son ; he grew to manhood, and as 
he grew in years, he grew in wickedness, which 
gave great grief to Moses. The name which Moses 
gave him when a child was Medio . 

When the affair happened about the molten calf, 
this Mecho, the adopted son of Moses, was the only 
Hebrew amongst them, and the chief instigator in 
the business. After the occurrence, when Moses 
went to Mount Sinai the second time, God then 
said to Moses, " Remember those children who 
were buried alive in Egypt, you thought it a cruel 
event, and indeed it appeared so, but I well knew 
that if they had been permitted to live, they 
would have turned out wicked ; therefore, merely 
to satisfy you, I permitted you to have one, which 
you had, and that to your sorrow, for you have 
found out his wickedness, as being the ringleader 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



319 



and instigator to induce the multitude to desire 
Aaron that he would make a molten calf." From 
this day forward you will consider that whatever 
befalls you, and the children of Israel during their 
journey through the wilderness, and during your 
life time, it is all for the best. 

I shall now present to my readers the following 
chapters, which are repeated every morning in lieu 
of the daily sacrifices, and which are observed in 
commemoration of those occurrences which took 
place when the temple stood in Jerusalem in the 
days of old. 

"And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, thou 
shalt also make a laver of brass to wash withal, 
and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the 
congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put 
water therein; for Aaron and his sons shall wash 
their hands and feet thereat. When they go into 
the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash 
with water that they die not, or when they come 
near to the altar to minister, to burn their offering 
made by fire unto the Lord. So they shall wash 
their hands, and their feet that they die not ; and 
it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him 
and to his seed throughout their generations. 

"May it be pleasing unto thee, O Lord, our 
God, and the God of our ancestors! to have com- 
passion on us and to pardon all our sins, forgive 
all our iniquities, and to grant remission for all 
our transgressions. May the holy temple speedily 
be rebuilt in our days, that we may offer in thy 
presence the continual burnt offering to atone for 



320 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



us, as thou hast commanded in thy law, delivered 
by the hands of thy servant Moses, as specified." 

Scripture. 

" And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, com- 
mand the children of Israel, and say unto them, 
that my sacrifice, my bread for my burnt offer- 
ing, for a pleasant savor unto me, shall ye observe 
to offer unto me in its due season, and thou shalt 
say unto them, this is the offering made by fire, 
which ye shall offer unto the Lord : lambs of the 
first year without blemish, two every day constantly 
for burnt offerings ; the one lamb shalt thou offer 
in the morning, and the other lamb shalt thou 
offer at even-tide, and a tenth part of an ephah of 
fine flour for a meat offering mingled with the 
fourth part of an hin of beaten oil. This is the 
continued burnt offering, as done on Mount Sinai, 
for a sweet savor, an offering, made by fire unto the 
Lord. And the drink offering thereof shall be the 
fourth part of an hin for each lamb ; in the holy 
place shalt thou cause the strong wine to be poured 
out for a drink offering to the Lord. And the 
other lamb shalt thou offer at even-tide, as the 
meat offering of the morning, and as the drink 
offering thereof shalt thou offer it, an offering made 
by fire of a sweet savor unto the Lord. 

" And he shall immolate it on the north side of 
the altar before the Lord, and Aaron's sons the 
priest's shall sprinkle the blood round about the 
altar. 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



321 



<( And on the sabbath-day two lambs of the first 
year without blemish, and two tenth deals of flour 
for a meat offering, mingled with oil, and the drink 
offering thereof. This is the sabbatical burnt offer- 
ing for the sabbath, over and above the constant 
burnt offering, and its drink offering. 

" And at the beginning of your months ye shall 
offer a burnt offering unto the Lord; two young 
bulls and one ram, seven lambs of the first year 
without blemish, and three tenth deals of flour for 
a meat offering, mingled with oil, for each bull ; and 
two tenth deals of fine flour, mingled with oil, for 
the one ram, and a tenth deal of fine flour, mingled 
with oil, for every lamb, for a sweet savor, a sacri- 
fice made by fire unto the Lord. And their drink 
offering shall be half an hin of wine unto a bull, 
and the third part of an hin for a ram, and the 
fourth part of an hin for a lamb : this is the 
monthly burnt offering for its respective month, 
throughout the months of the year. And one kid 
of the goats for a sin offering unto the Lord : this 
shall be done over and above the constant burnt 
offering, and its drink offering." 

Mishna. 

This gives the following account of those places 
which are appointed for the claying of offerings. 
The most holy of them were to be slain on the 
north side. The bull and the he- goat for the day 
of atonement were slain on the north side ; the 
receiving of their blood in the vessel of service 
2 s 



322 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



was on the north side ; and their blood was required 
to be sprinkled between the staves upon the veil, 
and upon the golden altar ; and if one sprinkling 
were omitted, it was considered an impediment. 
The remaining blood was poured out at the west 
side of the base of the outer altar, which, if omit- 
ted, was no impediment. Bulls and he-goats, which 
were to be wholly burnt, were slaughtered on the 
north side, where also their blood was received in 
the vessels of service, and likewise required to be 
sprinkled upon the veil, and the golden altar, and 
one sprinkling omitted proved an impediment. 
The remaining blood was poured out at the west 
side of the base of the outer altar, which, if omit- 
ted, proved no impediment. These, as well as the 
preceding offerings, were burnt in the repository of 
ashes. The congregational and individual offerings 
are as follow : — 

The congregational sin offerings are he-goats, 
which are offered on the first of each month, and 
on festivals. These were slain on the north side, 
where also their blood was received in the service 
vessel, and was required for four sprinklings on the 
four horns of the outer altar. How was this per- 
formed ? Why, the priest went up the ascent to the 
altar, and turning towards the circuit, came to the 
south-east corner, then to the north-east, to the 
north-west, and to the south-west ; when the remain- 
ing blood he poured out at the south side of the 
outer altar. The sacrifices were only allowed to be 
eaten by the males of the priesthood, within the 
hangings of the court, dressed after any manner, to 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



323 



be eaten during the same day, only until midnight. 
The burnt offering, which is one of the most holy, 
was slain on the north, and its blood was there 
received in the service vessel, and this blood re- 
ceived two sprinklings, which was so managed as to 
produce four. It required also the three following 
things — flaying, dismemberment, and total con- 
sumption by fire. The same order to be observed 
in reference to the peace offerings and trespass 
offerings of the whole congregation. The following 
are such as are considered trespass offerings. There 
is the trespass offering for theft — the trespass 
offering for the profane — appropriation of sanc- 
tified articles — for carnally knowing a betrothed 
handmaid — the Nazarites — the lepers — and that 
for a dubious sin. All these were slain on the 
north side, and the blood was their received in the 
service vessels, and also required two sprinklings, 
making four, and were eaten only within the hang- 
ings, by the males of the priesthood, dressed after 
any manner, during that day, only until midnight. 

The thanksgiving offering, and the ram of the 
Nazarites are regarded as less sacred ; and might 
be killed in any part of the court, but their blood 
required two sprinklings, making four. They might 
be eaten in any part of the city, by any person, 
dressed after any manner, during the whole of the 
same day until midnight. The same rule was held 
with the portions allotted to the priests, but that 
these portions might be eaten by the priests, their 
wives, their children, and their servants. Peace 
offerings are also minor sacred ; these might be 



324 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



slain in any part of the court, and their blood 
required two sprinklings, making four. They might 
be eaten in any part of the city, by any person, 
dressed after any manner, during two days and one 
night. The portion thereof appertaining to the 
priests, was like the rest with only this difference, 
that it was only to be eaten by the priests, their 
wives, their children, and their servants. The 
sacrifice of the first born beast, the tithes of cattle, 
and the paschal lamb are also minor sacred. These 
might be slain in any part of the courts, and their 
blood required one sprinkling ; it must, however, 
be sprinkled toward the base of the altar ; but they 
differ in the manner of being eaten, for the first- 
born was eaten by the priests only, but the tithe by 
all persons. They were also allowed to be eaten in 
any part of the city, dressed after any manner, 
during two days and one night. The paschal lamb 
was ordered to be eaten that night only, and not to 
be eaten later than midnight ; neither was it to 
be eaten but by the number appointed, nor was it 
otherwise to be eaten than roasted. 

Rabbi Ishmael affirms the expounding of the 
holy law, to be regulated by thirteen rules, viz. — 1. 
The comparison of minor and major. 2. Decisions 
deduced from the agreement or equality of texts. 
3. From a principle or axiom contained in one 
verse, or deduced from two verses. 4. A general 
rule modified by a succeeding particular rule. 
5. From a particular text guided by a succeeding 
general one. 6. Precepts delivered first in general 
and then in particular, and again in general terms, 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



325 



must only be determined according to the principle 
of the particular specification. 7. From a general 
principle that requires a particular or specific text 
to explain it, and from a particular text requiring 
a general one. 8. Whatever having been included 
in a general principle, and is brought out as a 
particular exemption, does not guide as a rule for 
itself alone, but affects the general principle also. 
9. Whatever being included in a general proposi- 
tion, and is brought forward to state a particular 
instance on the subject, tends to alleviate, and not 
to aggravate the determination. 10. Whatever 
being included in a general proposition, and is 
brought forward to state a case differing from the 
subject, serves both to alleviate and to aggravate. 
1 1 . Every thing included in a general description, 
and afterwards brought out as an exception, and 
subjected to a new determination, cannot be restored 
to its original general principle, unless expressly 
restored by the text. 12. Whatever is adduced 
from the subject itself, or adduced from the close 
of the text. 13. When two texts contradict each 
other, a third text will be found to reconcile them. 

"May it be thy will, O Lord, our God, and the 
God of our ancestors ! that the holy temple be 
speedily rebuilt in our days, and thy law be our 
portion ; and there will we serve thee in reverence, 
as in the days of yore, and in former years. O 
may the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be 
pleasant unto the Lord as in the days of yore, and 
in former years." 

I shall now insert the prayer which is diligently 



326 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



said by every Jew, male and female, from the 
moment they are capable of speaking, and which is 
said by rote ; and is certainly well adapted for the 
purpose for which it was intended. Ninety-nine 
out of every hundred say, that this prayer is used 
to keep evil spirits from them during the night. 

"Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, Sovereign 
of the universe ! who causeth the bands of sleep to 
descend on my eyes, and slumber on mine eye-lids. 
May it be thy pleasure, O Lord, my God, and the 
God of my fathers ! that I lie down in peace, and 
rise up again in peace ; and that bad dreams or 
evil imaginations do not confound me, but to grant 
me an uninterrupted repose in thy presence. O 
enlighten my eyes again, lest I sleep in death. 
Blessed art thou, O Lord ! who enlighteneth the 
whole universe with thy glory. 

" O that our eyes may see, our hearts rejoice, 
and our souls truly exult in thy salvation; when it 
shall be said unto Zion, it is thy God who hath 
established his reign. The Lord is King! The 
Lord hath reigned ! The Lord will reign for ever 
and ever ! For the sovereignty is thine, and to all 
eternity wilt thou reign in glory. Verily, we have 
no other King but thee. 

"May the angel who redeemed me from all evil, 
bless the youths, and they shall be called by my 
name, and those of my ancestors, Abraham and 
Isaac; and may they increase abundantly in the 
midst of the earth. And he said, if thou wilt dili- 
gently hearken to the voice of the Lord, thy God ! 
and will do that which is right in his sight ; and 



MANNERS OF THE .TEWS. 



327 



will give ear to his commandments, and observe all 
his statutes, I will not put any of those diseases 
upon thee which I brought upon the Egyptians, 
for I am the Lord who healeth thee. And the 
Lord said unto satan, the Lord rebuke thee, O 
satan; even the Lord who hath chosen Jerusalem, 
rebuke thee ; is not this a brand plucked out of 
the fire. Behold the bed which is Solomon's, sixty 
valiant men surrounded it, selected from the valiant 
of Israel ; they all grasp swords, being expert in 
war ; every man hath his sword upon his thigh, 
because of the terrors of the night. The Lord bless 
and preserve thee. The Lord make his face to 
shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee. The 
Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give 
thee peace. 

" Behold the guardian of Israel neither slum- 
bereth nor sleepeth. [This is repeated three times]. 

"For thy salvation do I hope, O Lord ! I hope, 
O Lord! for thy salvation. O Lord, for thy salva- 
tion do I hope. [This is repeated three times]. 

"In the name of the Lord, God of Israel ! on my 
right hand, is Michael, and on my left, Gabriel ; 
before me is Ariel, and behind me Raphael ; and 
over my head is the Divine presence." [This is 
repeated three times] . 

The following prayers are used on different occasions. 

When wine and fruit, or any other mixture of 
the following articles are taken together, then the 
blessings must be arranged and said accordingly. 



328 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



On eating fruit produced on trees. — "Blessed art 
thou, O Lord, our God, King of the universe ! 
Creator of the fruit of the tree." 

On fruit which grows on the ground, herbage, fyc. — 
"Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, King of the 
universe ! Creator of the fruit of the earth." 

On flesh, fish, eggs, milk, cheese, 8fc. or drinking 
any liquor, except wine. — "Blessed art thou, O Lord, 
our God, King of the universe ! through whose 
word all things do exist." 

After eating any fruit, or vegetables, fyc. — "Blessed 
art thou, O Lord, our God, King of the universe ! 
Creator of numberless beings, whose wants are 
supplied by all the varieties which thou hast 
created, wherewith to keep alive the soul of every 
living creature. Blessed art thou, O Life of the 
universe !" 

On witnessing a thunder storm, fyc. — "Blessed art 
thou, O Lord, our God, King of the universe ! 
whose power and might filleth the world." 

At lightning. — "Blessed art thou, O Lord, our 
God, King of the universe ! primeval Creator." 

At the sight of the sea, it not having been seen for a 
month. — "Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, 
King of the universe ! who formeth the vast sea." 

On tasting fruit the first time in the season; on 
the entering into possession of a new house or land; on 
the first time of using any articles of clothes, then say 
as above. But when enjoyed with the participation of 
other persons, they say the following. — -"Blessed 
art thou, O Lord, our God, King of the universe! 
who art good and dost dispense good." 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



329 



On hearing evil news. — "Blessed art thou, O 
Lord, our God, King of the universe ! thou upright 
Judge." 

On the smell of odorous woods. — Blessed art 
thou, O Lord, our God, King of the universe ! 
Creator of fragrant woods." 

On the smell of odorous plants. — " Blessed art 
thou, O Lord, our God, King of the universe ! 
Creator of fragrant plants." 

On the smell of odorous fruits. — "Blessed art 
thou, O Lord, our God, King of the universe ! who 
dost bestow a goodly scent on fruits." 

On the smell of odorous spices. — "Blessed art 
thou, O Lord, our God, King of the universe! who 
createst all sorts of spices." 

On the smell of scented oils. — "Blessed art thou, 
O Lord, our God, King of the universe ! who 
created pleasantly scented oil." 

On beholding a king, and his court. — "Blessed art 
thou, O Lord, our God, King of the universe ! who 
hath imparted a portion of thy glory unto flesh and 
blood." 

On beholding strange creatures. — "Blessed art 
thou, O Lord, our God, King of the universe ! who 
dost vary the form of creatures." 

On beholding the rainbow. — "Blessed art thou, O 
Lord, our God, King of the universe ! who art 
mindful of thy promise, faithful to thy covenant, 
and firm in thy promise." 

On beholding the first budding of blossoms. — 
"Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, King of the 
universe ! who doth not suffer ought to fail in his 
2 T 



330 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



world, but hath created thereon goodly creatures, 
and trees for the enjoyment of mankind." 

On beholding beautiful trees, or animals. — "Blessed 
art thou, O Lord, our God, King of the universe ! 
who hath formed such products in his world." 

The prayers which follow are such as are used on 
different days, and at various festivals. 

On the second day. — "And on the second day, 
ye shall offer twelve young bullocks, two rams, 
fourteen lambs of the first year, without blemish. 

"And their meat offering, and their drink offer- 
ing, as is said; three-tenth deals unto the bullock, 
and two-tenth deals unto the ram, and a tenth 
deal unto the lamb; and the wine for a drink 
offering, and the kid for an atonement, and the 
two continual offerings, according to the institution. 

"And on the third day, ye shall offer eleven 
bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs of the first year, 
without blemish. And their, &c". 

On the second day. — "And on the third day, ye 
shall offer eleven bullocks, two rams, fourteen 
lambs of the first year without blemish. 

"And their meat offering and their drink offering 
as is said ; three-tenth deals unto the bullock, and 
two-tenth deals unto the ram, and a tenth deal 
unto the lamb ; and the wine for the drink offering, 
and the kid for an atonement, and the two conti- 
nual offerings, according to their institution. 

"And on the fourth day, ye shall offer ten 
bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs of the first year, 
without blemish. And their, &c." 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



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On the third day.— " And on the fourth day, ye 
shall offer ten bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs 
of the first year, without blemish. 

4 'And their meat offering, and their drink 
offering, as expressed ; three-tenth deals unto the 
bullock, and two-tenth deals unto the ram, and a 
tenth deal unto the lamb; and the wine for a 
drink offering, and the kid for an atonement, and 
the two continual offerings, according to their 
institution. 

"And on the fifth day, ye shall offer nine 
bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first 
year, without blemish. And their, &c." 

On the fourth day. — "And on the fifth day, ye 
shall offer nine bullocks, two rams, and fourteen 
lambs of the first year, without blemish. 

"And their meat offering, and their drink offer- 
ing, as expressed ; three-tenth deals unto the 
bullock, and two-tenth deals unto the ram, and a 
tenth deal unto the lamb ; and the wine for a drink 
offering, and the kid for an atonement, and the 
two continual offerings, according to their insti- 
tution. 

"And on the sixth day, ye shall offer eight 
bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first 
year, without blemish. And their, &c." 

On the fifth day. — "And on the sixth day, ye 
shall offer eight bullocks, two rams, and fourteen 
lambs of the first year, without blemish. 

"And their meat offering, and their drink offer- 
ing, as expressed ; three-tenth deals unto the 
bullock, and two-tenth deals unto the ram, and a 



332 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



tenth deal unto the lamb ; and the wine for a drink 
offering, and the kid for an atonement, and the 
two continual offerings, according to their insti- 
tution. 

"And on the seventh day, ye shall offer seven 
bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first 
year, without blemish. And their, &c." 

On the eighth day of tabernacles say— "On the 
eighth day, ye shall have a solemn assembly; ye 
shall do no servile work thereon. 

4 'But ye shall offer a burnt offering, a sacrifice 
made by fire, a sweet savor unto the Lord ; one 
bullock, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year, 
without blemish. 

"And their meat offering, and their drink offer- 
ing, as expressed; three-tenth deals unto the bullock, 
and two-tenth deals unto the ram, and a tenth deal 
unto the lamb ; and the wine for the drink offering, 
and the kid for an atonement, and the two conti- 
nual offerings, according to their institution." 

On the sabbath say — "Let those who observe the 
sabbath, and call it a delight, be ever joyful in thy 
kingdom ; cause the nation which sanctifieth the 
seventh day, to be satisfied and gratified with thy 
beneficence. For the seventh day hast thou fa- 
vored and sanctified ; the desirable of all days hast 
thou called it; a memorial of the work of creation." 

On Mondays and Thursdays the roll of the law is 
taken out to be read, and when the ark is opened the 
congregation say — " And when the ark set forward, 
Moses said, Arise, O Lord! and thine enemies 
shall be scattered, and those that hate thee shall 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



333 



be made to fly before thee ; for from Zion shall 
the law go forth, and the word of the Lord from 
Jerusalem. 

" Blessed is he who hath given the law to his 
people Israel, with all its sacredness." 

The reader taking the roll of the law, says — " O 
magnify the Lord with me, and together let us extol 
his name." 

The reader now says the following, to which the 
congregation respond — " Thine, O Lord ! is great- 
ness, power, glory, triumph, and majesty ; yea, all 
that is in heaven and in earth is thine : thine the 
sovereignty, O Lord! who art exalted supreme 
above all. Exalt ye the Lord, our God, and bow 
down at his footstool, for he is holy. Exalt ye the 
Lord, our God, and worship towards his holy 
mount, for the Lord, our God, is holy. 

" The Father of mercy will have compassion on 
his cherished children, and will remember the 
covenant of the patriarchs : he will deliver our 
souls from the evil hours of temptation, exorcise 
the evil passion from his nurslings, and favor us 
with its eternal riddance : he will fulfil our desires 
with the good measure of salvation and mercy." 

The manuscript of the Pentateuch being placed on 
the reading desk, the reader unrolling it, continues — 
" And his kingdom will speedily be revealed, and 
made manifest to us ; he will graciously grant to 
the remnant of his people, the house of Israel, 
grace, mercy, favor, and kindness, and let us say, 
Amen. All shall ascribe power unto God, and ten- 
der honor unto the law." 



334 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



Here the person is called by name, who is to ascend 
the reading desk to hear the law read, which is as fol- 
lows — " Blessed be he who hath so sacredly given 
the law to his people Israel. The law of the Lord 
is perfect comfort to the soul ; the testimony of the 
Lord teacheth the simple wisdom ; the statutes of 
the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the precepts 
of the Lord are clear, enlightening the eyes. The 
Lord will give strength unto his people ; the Lord 
will bless his people with peace. The way of God 
is perfect ; the way of the Lord is pure ; he is a 
shield to all who trust in him." 

The congregation respond — '"All ye alive at this 
day, cleave unto the Lord your God." 

Those who are called to the law, say the following 
benediction before the reader begins to read. — " Bless 
ye the Lord, who is ever blessed." 

The congregation answer — " Blessed be the Lord, 
who is blessed for ever and evermore. 

" Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, King of 
the universe ! who hath selected us from all nations, 
and hath given unto us his law. Blessed art thou, 
O Lord, giver of the law !" 

After the portion is read, he says — " Blessed art 
thou, O Lord, our God, King of the universe ! who 
hath given unto us the law of truth, and planted 
amongst us the seeds of eternal life. Blessed art 
thou, O Lord, giver of the law!" 

Persons returning in safety from travelling by sea, 
or land; persons recovering from sickness, or freed 
from imprisonment, add the following — " Blessed art 
thou, O Lord, our God, King of the universe ! who 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



335 



dispenseth kindness even to the guilty, and hast 
bestowed much kindness on me." 

The congregation respond — " May he who hath 
bestowed much good upon thee, ever continue to 
dispense all good unto thee." 

When the roll of the law is held up, the congrega- 
tion say — " Lo, this is the law, which Moses set 
before the children of Israel, by the command of 
the Lord, through the hand of Moses. It is a tree 
of life to those who hold on it, and its supporters 
are happy. Its ways are ways of pleasantness, and 
all its paths are peace. Length of days is on its 
right hand, and on its left are riches and honor. 
The Lord for righteousness' sake, doth please to 
aggrandize the law, and to adorn it." 

On the second and fif th days of the week, the reader 
says the following before the manuscript of the Penta- 
teuch is returned into the ark. — " O may it prove to 
be the will, from the presence of our Father who is 
in heaven, to re-establish the mansion of life, and 
to restore the resplendence of his glory in the midst 
of us, speedily in our days, and let us say, Amen. 

" O may it prove to be thy will, from the pre- 
sence of our Father who is in heaven, to have 
mercy on us, and on the remainder of us ; likewise 
to withhold destruction and pestilence from us, and 
from all his people the house of Israel, and let us 
say, Amen. 

" O may it prove to be the will, from the pre- 
sence of our Father who is in heaven, to preserve 
the wise men of Israel among us, even them, their 
wives, sons, and daughters ; their disciples, and 



336 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



the disciples of their disciples, in every place of 
their residence, and let us say, Amen. 

" O may it prove to be the will, from the pre- 
sence of our Father who is in heaven, to cause us 
to hear the good tidings published of salvation and 
comfort, that our dispersed be gathered from the 
four corners of the earth, and let us say, Amen. 

" May the Omnipresent have mercy on our bre- 
thren, the whole house of Israel, who are cast into 
trouble and captivity ; wherever placed, at sea or 
on land ; and bring them forth from difficulty to 
enlargement, from darkness to light, and from 
bondage to freedom, now, speedily, in the shortest 
time, and let us say, Amen." 

On returning the law to the ark, the reader says — 
" Praise ye the name of the Lord ; for his name 
alone is to be exalted." 

The reader and the congregation at the same time 
say — "His glory is above the earth and the hea- 
vens ; it is he who will exalt the horn of his people; 
the praise of all his saints of the children of Israel, 
the people near unto him. Hallelujah" 

A Psalm of David. — " The earth and the fulness 
thereof are the Lord's ; the world and they that 
dwell therein ; for he hath founded it upon the seas, 
and established it upon the floods. Who shall 
ascend the hill of the Lord, and who can stand in 
his holy place ? He who hath clean hands, and a 
pure heart, who hath not lifted up his soul to vanity, 
nor hath been sworn to deceit. He shall receive a 
blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the 
God of his salvation. This is the generation who 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



337 



seek him, who seek thy face, O God of Jacob. 
Selah. Lift up your heads ye gates, be lifted up ye 
everlasting doors, for the King of glory shall enter. 
Who is the King of glory? The Lord strong and 
powerful ; the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your 
heads ye gates, be lifted up ye everlasting doors, 
for the King of glory shall enter. Who is the 
King of glory ? The Lord of hosts ; he is the 
King of glory. Selah" 

As the law is put into the ark, say — " And when 
the ark rested he said, O Lord! restore tranquillity 
to the many thousands of Israel. Ascend, O Lord! 
unto thy resting place, thou, and the ark of thy 
strength. Thy priests shall be clothed with righte- 
ousness, and thy saints shout for joy. For the 
sake of thy servant David, turn not away the face 
of thine anointed. ' For lo ! I have given you good 
doctrine, forsake ye not my law ; it is a tree of life 
to those who hold it, and the supporters thereof 
are blessed ; its ways are ways of pleasantness, and 
all her paths are peace.' " 

Sanctification for the festivals. 

When the festival occurs on the sabbath, the follow- 
ing is said — "On the sixth day the heavens and the 
earth were finished, and all their host. And on the 
seventh day God ended his work which he had 
made : thus he rested on the seventh day from all 
his work which he had made. And God blessed 
the seventh day, and sanctified it, because thereon 
did God rest from all his works, which he had 
created and made." 
2u 



338 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



When the festival occurs on week days they say— 
" Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, King of the 
universe ! Creator of the fruit of the vine. 

" Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, King of 
the universe! who hast selected us from all people, 
exalted us above all other nations, and sanctified us 
with thy commandments. Thou, O Lord, our God, 
hast in love appointed for us [on sabbath say, this 
sabbath day for repose and] solemn feasts to re- 
joice, and festivals, and seasons for delight, [on 
sabbath say, this sabbath day]. 

On passover, say — " Yea this day of the feast of 
unleavened bread, and period of our redemption." 

On the Pentecost, say—' Yea this day of the feast 
of weeks, the period of the transmission of our 
laws." 

On the feast of tabernacles, say — 4 'Yea this day of 
the feast of tabernacle, the period of our rejoicing." 

On the eighth day of tabernacle, say — " Yea this 
eighth day the feast of solemn assembly, the period 
of our rejoicing. 

" A holy convocation, (in love) a memorial of the 
departure from Egypt. Yea, thou hast selected us, 
and sanctified us from all other people ; [and the 
sabbath] and thy holy seasons with (love and 
favor,) joy and gladness hast thou caused us to 
inherit. Blessed art thou, O Lord ! the sanctifier 
of [the sabbath and] Israel, and the seasons." 

When the festival occurs on the close of the sabbath 
the following is said — " Blessed art thou, O Lord, 
our God, King of the universe, who hast made a 
distinction between the holy and the profane ; be- 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



339 



tween light and darkness ; between Israel and the 
nations ; between the seventh day, and the six 
days of work ; between the sanctification of the 
sabbath, and the sanctification of the holy days 
hast thou made a difference ; and the seventh day 
from the six days of work hast thou appointed as 
sacred ; and thou hast separated and sanctified thy 
people Israel with thy holy consecration. Blessed 
art thou, O Lord ! who maketh a distinction 
between sacred and profane." 

On the night of the feast of tabernacle the following 
is then said — "Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, 
King of the universe ! who commanded us to dwell 
in booths. 

"Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, King of 
the universe ! who hast preserved our lives, sus- 
tained us, and brought us to the enjoyment of this 
season." 

As the sabbath is the day of rest which God 
commanded, the Rabbies say, that when he spoke 
to Moses on Mount Sinai, and commanded that 
the festivals should be kept in the like manner; 
they, therefore, think it right to commence the 
same with prayer and sanctification ; and when 
they return from synagogue, after washing their 
hands before meals, according to their custom upon 
those occasions, they are in duty bound to drink 
one glass of wine between those that sit round the 
table, and it is a very rare occurrence for this to be 
omitted. If a Jew be so circumstanced, as not 
to be able to provide wine, they generally take two 
ounces of raisins to a quart of water, and boil it for 



340 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



a certain time, which answers the same purpose as 
if they took wine. 

All Jews are expected, according to their own 
doctrines, to rise very early. The Rabbies say, 
every man is in duty bound to awake the day, but 
he is not to wait until the day awakes him ; this they 
endeavor to prove from a passage which occurs in 
Psalm lvii. 8. — "I will awake early." Which they 
explain in this way — "I will awake in the morning." 
Hence, arises a doctrine, namely, that the morning 
prayer must not be later than the rising of the sun; 
but the Rabbies say, as the Jews have different occu- 
pations to attend to, any time before the hour of 
nine in the morning is acceptable to God ; but 
there is an injunction laid upon them, to rise 
earlier on a Friday, than on any other day, in honor 
of the sabbath. 

As soon as a Jew awakes, he is expected to 
banish drowsiness, to arouse himself, and with fear 
and trembling remember the holy and ever-blessed 
name of his Creator; and sincerely thank him for 
his great mercy, in that he has given him his soul 
again ; for they believe the soul leaves the body 
during sleep ; that it goes to God, and is taken care 
of by him. The Rabbies say, that sleep is the 
sixth part of death, and the reason they give is this. 
The soul in the night goes out of men into heaven, 
and it does it for this purpose; that for the sins 
which he hath committed on the day preceding, 
there is a place in heaven which is occupied by the 
angels in rotation, and that every soul writes down 
with his own blood, all the sins of that period, for 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



341 



the following purpose. When a Jew departs this 
life, and appears before the angels, to hear his 
doom, and how long he shall be in purgatory; this 
is to be decided according to the sins which he 
hath committed; and to prevent all mistakes upon 
this point, and to satisfy the soul accused, (if it 
should be the case), they shew the hand- writing, 
which is signed with his own blood, and which 
cannot be denied; and according to this, he is 
led to a place of torment, for an appointed or 
given time. 

If a Jew is fond of his bed, and does not rise 
early, it is a sure omen that he does not do his 
duty ; he is reckoned slothful in the service of 
God ; and is a certain sign that the power of wicked 
angels has come over him, and taken possession 
of all his limbs; makes him so lazy, that he is 
not able to leave his bed, and by so doing he does 
not serve God, by performing his rites and cere- 
monies. If he be in bed above a certain time, they 
say evil spirits will rest upon his hands and his 
face; although he may have said his prayers the 
night before, yet those prayers have a charm over the 
evil spirits only for a time, and if men overstep 
those bounds, they must abide the consequence. 
But if, on the contrary, a man rouses himself, in 
due time, this is a disappointment to the wicked spi- 
rits, and such a man is looked upon by God as a lion. 
The Rabbies say, if a man rise early, says his 
prayers three times, and performs his rites and 
ceremonies, he has no need to fear evil spirits. 
They may hover around him, but they cannot touch 



342 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



him. But then the very moment he gets out of 
bed, and puts on some of his clothes, according to 
the prescribed rule, he must hasten and wash 
himself, in order to drive away all evil spirits. 
According to the doctrines of the wise, no one 
should walk the distance of four yards with un- 
washen hands, otherwise all manner of impurities 
lay hold on him. Indeed, the Cabalists write thus : 
"Whosoever walks the distance of four yards 
with unwashen hands, is worthy of death." Since 
the soul is absent all night, and an evil spirit 
occupies its place in the mean time, the Rabbies 
exhort and command that all pious persons have a 
vessel, filled with water, close by their bed-side, 
that they may be able, without delay, to wash 
their hands. Before a Jew has attended to this, 
he is not to touch any part of his face, for they 
declare it to be dangerous. The water also must 
be clean and fresh, and not have been previously 
used. It is also forbidden to take the water from 
the hands of any other person who has not him- 
self previously washed them. Rings also, are to 
be taken off, otherwise the whole is looked upon 
as not performed. He is likewise forbidden to let 
the water run on the ground, but it is to be caught 
up in a vessel. He is further forbidden from 
throwing it in any place where people are accus- 
tomed to walk, as they say, it would be very 
dangerous. 

As to the mode of washing ; the Jew is to take 
the vessel, containing the water, in the right hand, 
and give it into the left; then to pour first upon 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



343 



the right; this is to be repeated three times; 
otherwise, they say, the evil spirit will not depart. 
This he is to pour three times, or the whole would 
be useless, although he should pour ever so much 
at once. They are to rinse the mouth every 
morning, in order to pronounce the name of God 
with a clean mouth. He that observes this daily, 
is permitted to do the same on his own fast days; 
but on the fasts of the congregation this is not 
permitted. He must, however, take great care, 
that not a drop of water escapes into the throat. 
If the Jew dips his hands into the water, and so 
wash them, this w T ould be sufficient for saying his 
prayers ; but then the evil spirit would not depart. 
And supposing, for instance, that he hath even 
dipped his hands alternately into three vessels, con- 
taining water, it would still be doubtful, whether the 
evil spirit would depart. The Rabbies, however, 
say, that it is doubtful, whether a Jew, who has 
watched the whole night, is obliged in the morning 
to wash his hands, in order to drive away the evil 
spirit; but they do maintain that, at all events, he 
is bound to wash his hands without saying any 
blessing. They further say, that it is doubtful 
whether a Jew, who has arisen before the break of 
day, and has washed his hands, is bound to wash 
them again at the break of day ; or if he should 
have slept during the day, whether, then also, he is 
bound to pour water three times over his hands. In 
both cases the Habbies determine, that they ought 
to do so, but without saying any blessing. If 
the season of the year should disable them to do so, 



344 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



as on a frosty winter's day, when no water can be 
had, then they say, he may put his hands three 
times into the snow, and rub them. 

As soon as he has washed his hands, he then pro- 
ceeds to do the same with his face, which is the 
image of God ; but he is obliged to take great care 
to wipe his face dry, or else he is threatened with 
the scab. The Rabbins say, that he may heal him- 
self again, by the frequent washing with the water 
of Silka, i. e. beet. Having washed, he then unites 
his hands, and lifts them up, so that his fingers are 
directed towards heaven, and says the following 
blessing: "Lift up your hands in holiness, and 
bless the Lord."— Psalm cxxxiv. 2. "My hands also 
will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have 
loved." — Psalm cxix. 48. Whilst further meditat- 
ing, with great devotion, on the majesty of his 
Creator, he says, " Behold, I am ready to praise 
my Creator, Him who in unity and alone is only 
One ; for he is the Lord and the ruler ; the founda- 
tion of all worlds, whether the world of planets, or 
of angels, or of the throne of honor, are in com- 
parison with him, as a grain of mustard; he is the 
essence of all essence, and the cause of all causes." 
After this follows the blessing, which he is to repeat 
with fear and trembling, slowly, word by word, with 
great devotion and particular attention to the mean- 
ing of the words. When he mentions the name 
of Jehovah, he is earnestly to remember, that it is 
the name of the Lord of all things ; the Lord who 
was, and is, and shall be ; and also when he men- 
tions the name Elohim, he is to think with great 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



345 



earnestness on the Almighty, the Lord of power 
and strength, and with such thoughts, he says, 
" Blessed art thou, Jehovah, our God, King of the 
universe ! who hath sanctified us with his com- 
mandments, and commanded us to cleanse our 
hands. Blessed art thou, Jehovah, our God, King 
of the universe ! who hath formed man in wisdom, 
and created in him many cavities and apertures. It 
is certain, and known before the throne of thy glory, 
that if but one of them were opened, or stopped, 
it would be impossible for any to exist, or abide 
before thee. Blessed art thou, Jehovah, the phy- 
sician of all flesh, who doest wonderfully." But if, 
from any other cause, than that already mentioned, 
water cannot be obtained, then he may rub his hands 
upon the earth, or with dust, or with some similar 
substance ; and in that case he says a form of 
prayer, as follows: " Thou who hast commanded to 
cleanse our hands, &c. :" but he does not say, to 
wash them, as in the first instance. This mode of 
cleansing, is said to be sufficient for the perform- 
ance of prayer, but not for expelling the evil spirit. 

Women are obliged to observe the same order 
of washing, namely, to pour water three times over 
their hands. The greater part of our food is pre- 
pared by them ; but if they do this with unwashen 
hands, then the evil spirit will not depart from 
them, the food will become unclean, and the heart 
thereby defiled ; especially the hearts of their hus- 
bands and their sons. Yes, every Jew that eats 
such food, considers himself in danger of commit- 
ting sin, through the influence of the evil spirit, 
2 x 



346 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



which rests upon him. 'The same rules must be ob- 
served with children, and if they cannot do it them- 
selves, the father or mother must do it for them, 
and make them repeat the former part of the bless- 
ing already mentioned ; to which the following two 
verses must be added, Deut. xxxiii. 4. i. e. "Moses 
commanded us a law, even the inheritance of the 
congregation of Jacob." And Proverbs i. 8. — "My 
son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake 
not the law of thy mother." But in the more 
advanced age of children, a portion of Keriath 
Shemd; and some other verses are to be read to 
them. In another place we shall speak more at 
large of this form of prayer. 

We come now to the Tzitzith, or fringes, which 
are used immediately after, and the Tallith, to 
which they are joined. 

There are two sorts of Tallith, namely, the little 
and the great one. The great one is a large square 
cloth, large enough, almost, to cover a man. It is 
generally made of white lamb's wool, which must 
not, in any way, have been torn from the sheep, 
but nicely shorn off. Jewesses are to spin it, and 
to do it with the intention of making a Tallith of the 
same, and they must say the following when they 
begin — "In the name of the Lord, I now begin to 
spin this thread, in which our men shall serve and 
worship God." This Tallith they use in the syna- 
gogue; it is put over the head, so that the two 
corners meet on each side, and hang down over the 
shoulders, before the breast. On each of these 
four corners are the Tzitzith, or fringes. This Tallith 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



347 



ought, by right, to be blue, but inasmuch as this is 
scarce, they make use of white as a token of purity 
and innocence. Some make them with two or 
three stripes of silk, according as they are rich or 
poor. Many rich Jews have also on that part 
which covers the head, a piece of rich silk, inter- 
woven with gold or silver. Others again, have 
merely a piece of gold or silver lace on it, and 
some have even precious stones, of the most 
valuable kind. This part of the Tallith is called 
Aereth, i. e. crown; but in the same manner as the 
crown is ornamented, so also must be the four 
corners, whereon the fringes are fastened. These 
four corners are called Arba Canphoth, which is 
now the name for the small Tallith, which we shall 
now proceed to describe. 

The small Tallith, the substance of which is 
prepared the same as that of the great one, is about 
three feet long, and one foot wide. In the centre is 
a hole, we will say about one foot and a half long, so 
that the head may be put through, and hence, a 
square piece of eighteen inches long, will be hang- 
ing down over the breast, and another, the same 
length, over the back. On each side of the four 
corners, there are fringes, the same as on the great 
Tallith. The small Tallith is now invariably called 
Arba Canphoth, i. e. four corners, and, of course, 
applies to the large one as well as to this. But 
the modern Jews never call the large one so, but it 
is known simply by Tallith, which originally was 
the name of both, with the distinction of small 
and great. The difference of the two, as to their 



348 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



use, is, that the small one is constantly, and without 
intermission worn under the waistcoat, until 
going into bed ; and every Jew, young or old, 
without exception, must have it; whereas the 
large one, is worn in the synagogue, or when at 
prayers only, and so much importance is not 
attached to it, as to the smaller. 

We come now to the fringes, which are fastened 
on the four corners, both of the small and large 
Tallith. Particular directions are given how those 
threads must be spun, which, however, we do not 
now mention, as it would be too tedious. The 
fringes consist of a certain number of fine woollen 
cords, similar to stout cotton, which must be 
spun by the Jews, in the same manner as those 
for the Tallith, at the commencement of which 
they must say, "I spin this wool for the purpose 
of making fringes of it." But supposing a Gentile 
should make these fringes, then, at all events, it 
is necessary, that a Jew should do something to 
it, and say the aforementioned words. If the 
threads are ready prepared, then the fringe is to 
be made in the following manner. Four threads, 
of a given length, are to be taken, and a hole is 
made in each corner of the Tallith, through which 
these four threads are drawn exactly to the middle, 
so that on one side they shall be as long as on the 
other; then they are doubled, and so become eight 
distinct threads. One of those eight is to be con- 
siderably longer than the other seven, in order 
that it may be twisted round them all. The threads 
so drawn through the hole, are then to be taken, 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



349 



and two knots made in them. After this, the long 
thread is taken and twisted seven times round the 
whole, and two knots are made in them also. 
Afterwards the long thread is twisted round the 
rest nine times ; the two knots are again repeated, 
and the long thread is twisted round eleven times. 
Once more, two knots are made, and then the 
long thread is twisted round thirteen times, and 
the last two knots complete and secure the whole. 
These knots occupy about one-third of the whole, 
so that two-thirds hang down loose. 

The cabalistical Jews say, that great mysteries 
are hidden in these knots, and in the number of 
times in which the long thread is twisted round the 
rest. They pretend they can find in them the name 
of Jehovah. Jehovah, they consider one, and 
they make it out in the following manner. The 
twistings altogether amount to forty ; the word to 
thirty-nine; and if you take the sentence as one, 
that makes forty. Thus they say, and pretend to 
prove, that they find Jehovah in the fringes. They 
also say, the five double knots indicate the five 
books of Moses, and many other things of the 
same import might be mentioned. 

They believe that God has commanded them to 
wear those Talliths, and prove it from Numbers xv. 
38. — "Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid 
them that they make them fringes in the borders 
of their garments." It is further said, that it 
should be " Ribband of blue." And again, in Deut. 
xxii. 12, i. e. "Thou shalt make the fringes." 

The Jews attach great importance and sacredness 



350 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



to the Tallith and Tzitzith. They say, it is a me- 
mento, to remind them constantly of God's com- 
mandments, and to prevent them from sinning 
against him. For it is written, Numbers xv. 39, 
40. — "And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that 
ye may look upon it, and remember all the com- 
mandments of the Lord, and do them, and that ye 
seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, 
after which ye used to go a whoring. That ye may 
remember and do all my commandments, and be 
holy unto your God." The Rabbies write in the 
Talmud, the eye and the heart are two accomplices 
of sin ; therefore, the law enforces the fringes, in 
order to remind man of the commandments of 
God, and deter him from sin. They also call the 
fringes instruments for obeying the law of God, 
which although in themselves have no holiness, 
yet do they assist to holiness, and promote the 
same. Very great stress is laid on the command- 
ment of fringes ; for they say the whole law depends 
upon it, and assert the following, which they 
consider to be fully in point: " The commandment 
respecting this is so great, that he who rightly 
observes it, is accounted as having kept the whole 
law." This they make out by a cabalistical mode, 
by computing the word fringes, out of which they 
endeavor to bring the number of six hundred and 
thirteen, which is the number of the command- 
ments. 

They believe the fringes to be preventatives, not 
only against sin, but also against evil spirits. 
Whosoever wears this garment, is preserved from 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



351 



all uncleanness and misery ; he falls not into sin, 
and no evil spirit has any power over him; and 
even when he dies, the angels put on him a white 
dress, before which all the devils and evil spirits 
fall, and by this means, he reaches the highest 
degree of perfection and eternal life. 

It must here be observed, that a male child, at 
the age of two years, is in duty bound to wear 
Arba Canphoth, and which is very strictly observed. 
The females are excluded from all the abovemen- 
tioned rites, by a law which the Rabbies have laid 
down. 

Reader, as I have frequently mentioned the 
Cabali, I shall here explain what is meant by it. 
It is said, when Moses was with God, on Mount 
Sinai, for forty days, and he delivered unto Moses 
the oral law, independent of this law, God gave to 
him the Cabali, as a mysterious system or docu- 
ment, and intended it for him and certain other 
pious Jews, as a mean for their improvement, and 
to be regarded as a system of bye-laws. 

It is believed by the Jews at large, to this 
present day, that all those who are in possession of 
this Cabali, have a certain knowledge of good 
angels, of devils, and of evil spirits, and the works 
of evil spirits, such as witchcrafts, sorceries, &c. 
and have power over them. 

It will be here necessary, that I proceed by 
relating three peculiar circumstances that are 
generally believed among the Jews. First, they 
believe, that a certain Rabbi was considered one of 
the greatest cabalists among the Jewish doctors, 



352 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



and often when seated among them, they would 
enquire of him concerning those mysteries con- 
tained in the Cabali. It frequently happened, that 
he would not inform them, assuring them, that it 
would not be proper for them to know. At last 
they grew more careless upon that head, and the 
Rabbi then gave them to understand, that those 
who were skilled therein, had extraordinary powers 
imparted to them ; and further wished to give 
them a proof of it, and which he did as follows. It 
was the custom for the Rabbi to invite all his 
scholars, and the heads of the synagogue, every 
sabbath, to partake of a meal, at the accustomed 
time, which was, both in summer and winter, four 
o'clock. According to this rule, they met on one 
particular day, and being seated, the Eabbi, (being 
the host), agreeable to the usual custom, was ex- 
pected to make his appearance after the company 
had washed their hands. All things being ready, 
and no Rabbi appearing, after waiting some time 
with great anxiety, they heard a great outcry in the 
street; they all rose from their seats, and began to 
enquire the cause; when to their astonishment and 
regret, they were informed, that their Rabbi was 
found in a house of wickedness. All the Jews in 
the town were up in arms against him; he was put 
into confinement, and the next day, the chief Rabbi 
sat as judge, when he was brought before him for 
trial. Witnesses came forward, to prove their asser- 
tions, and he was asked what he had to say for 
himself, by way of defence ? when he (the trial being 
ended), said, "I am guilty." The whole assem- 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



353 



bly were confounded, he being a man of great 
learning. 

The Judge passed sentence upon him; he was 
condemned to die. The following was to be the 
mode of his death. He was to be strangled, and 
burnt; for in those times, the Jews had the power 
of this law among themselves, which was given to 
them by toleration ; so that when one of the nation 
was doomed to die, that very moment he became 
an outcast from the pale of the Jewish dispensa- 
tion. And the Jews, after delivering him over as a 
prisoner to' the Gentiles, with an order for his exe- 
cution, they concerned themselves no more about 
him. The next day, the condemned Rabbi sent 
for a Gentile priest, which alarmed all the Jews, as 
they expected he had changed his religion, not for 
conscience, but for revenge. When the priest 
came to him he said, "Sir, I have not sent for you 
concerning any point of religion, but I am given to 
understand, it is in your power to grant a favor to 
a malefactor." The priest answered, "Yes," and 
asked his request, when he said, "It is my wish 
to be executed the next Jewish sabbath, precisely 
at four o'clock." This favor was granted, which 
surprized and astonished all the Jews; and the 
more so, because that this said Rabbi used to make 
such frequent and great orations about cabalistical 
mysteries. 

For many years past, as I have mentioned 
above, it was the custom of the Rabbi to invite a 
certain number of Jews round his table. Now, the 
chief Rabbi made it a rule to invite those very Jews 
2 Y 



354 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



that had usually met at the table of others. The 
Saturday following, they met for the first time, 
and this happened to be the very day and hour for 
the execution ; but the day previous to this, it 
should be observed, the chief Rabbi received a 
letter, couched in the following terms : 

" Dear and learned Rabbi — You expect to-morrow 
before sun-set, my soul will be in purgatory, but in 
this you are mistaken; for if God spares your life, 
(which I hope he will), I intend to pay you a visit, 
and I have only this favor to beg, that as you 
expect by four o'clock to-morrow, that I shall be 
no more; and as I am given to understand, you 
have adopted a similar custom to that which I 
myself have done formerly, I trust that at the 
usual time, you w T ill provide a vacant seat for me, 
at your table, as I fully intend to be there as one 
of the party. — Adieu." 

Upon the receipt of this letter, the Rabbi, and 
all the Jews, concluded the prisoner was out of his 
mind, and took no further notice of it. The day of 
execution arrived, the prisoner was brought forward, 
placed in a situation to be executed — the wood 
was put in order about him, to consume him — but, 
what was the astonishment of the multitude, when 
they beheld the Rabbi transformed into a bundle 
of straw; and not less amazed was the chief Rabbi, 
and likewise all those that were present with him, 
when they beheld the Rabbi, whom they thought 
was no more, seated at the table with them. They 
were greatly alarmed, as you may suppose, and 
concluded that it was a vision. After a short time, 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



355 



he addressed the chief Rabbi, and the scholars with 
him, and said, "What has occurred within these last 
eight days, has been done in order to shew you 
what can be effected by those who know the secret 
of the Cabali." This further surprized them, and 
from that time they placed great confidence in the 
Cabali ; although he assured them, at the same 
time, that what had appeared to them as a reality, 
was, in fact, only visionary. The whole of the 
foregoing account, I wish my readers to under- 
stand, I have translated from the Rabbinical He- 
brew, as recorded in their books. 

What I am now going to relate is a most curi- 
ous circumstance, but currently reported, and firmly 
believed among the Jews. Whether it be in print 
or no, I know not, as I have never yet seen one of 
them. 

About fifty years ago, there was a Jew, of the 
name of Doctor Faulk, whose name is venerated 
among them, and who, if I am not mistaken, lived, 
and ended his days in Wellclose-square, London. 
If I were to enumerate or specify all the wonders 
which they say he performed by means of the Cabali, 
it would fill a volume, but I shall confine myself, 
and only mention a few of them. 

They say it was the custom of this man between 
twelve and one o'clock at night, on various occa- 
sions, to go in his carriage to Epping Forest. One 
night, as he was going through Whitechapel Road, 
one of the hinder wheels of his carriage came off, 
which certainly alarmed the coachman, but the 
Doctor ordered him to proceed, and the hinder 



356 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



wheel, it is said, followed the carriage all the way 
to the forest. The purpose or object of this journey, 
is kept a secret, and all the proof we have been 
able to obtain on this point, after enquiry, is this — 
many Jews and Jewesses say they have heard so. 

They proceed further, and say, that this Doctor, 
at certain times, was very poor, and when so, his 
servants would inform him they were in want of 
provision and fuel for the household. When this 
happened, the Doctor, at set times, would order 
three shirts to be aired by the fire. He then with- 
drew into a private chamber, and the servants 
being accustomed to his manner, knew how to 
proceed after he had left them. They waited till 
they heard the sound of a ram's horn ; this was a 
sign to them to bring him one of the aired shirts. 
This was done three times, and after this ceremony, 
the cupboard was always supplied with provisions, 
and the coals were in such abundance, that it took 
them a long time to shovel them in, and to shut 
the door. If a Jew should at all appear doubtful, 
on hearing this matter related, he would be looked 
upon as a hypocrite, and a doubtful Jew. 

The following also is related, as having taken 
place in Holland, some years ago. The butchers' 
shambles, where the Jews kill their animals, are 
adjoining to the shambles of the Hollanders. It 
happened that among the animals slaughtered, on 
one occasion, there were twenty calves, but when 
they came to reckon the calves' feet, they found 
eighty-one; this put them to their wit's end, and 
for this reason. They found, by some strange 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 357 

occurrence, or by some mistake, that a foot be- 
came intermixed, from the shambles belonging to 
the Gentiles. They applied to the high priest to 
ask his advice, he being a man who was versed in 
the Cabali. He seemed to think of the occurrence 
very slightly, and told them to bring all the feet 
into his house. When the Jews heard it, they 
were astonished and much puzzled to think how it 
would be possible for the Rabbi to find out this 
mistake. The Rabbi wished the great men to be 
convinced by being eye-witnesses, as well as to 
shew at the same time his own learning and judg- 
ment. He invited all the great men among the 
Jews, and when they were assembled, he addressed 
them thus : " You have heard what has occurred 
at the slaughter-house this day, of the denied foot 
being intermixed by some mistake. It is now my 
wish that you may see the wonder of the Almighty, 
and what I am able to perform by means of the 
Cabali." 

He then ordered the eighty-one feet to be brought 
into his presence, and put into a heap. He then 
desired that a Gentile, a passer-by in the street, 
might be called in, which was immediately done. In 
the chamber there was a cupboard, and he told the 
assembly present to examine it, and see if there 
was any communication, or any outlet, except the 
door, by which a person might be secreted. This 
was done, and it was proved that such was not 
the case. The Gentile was then ordered to take 
those calves' feet, and put them on a certain shelf 
in the cupboard, and place them in two rows; forty- 



358 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



one in one row, and forty in the other. This being 
done, the Gentile withdrew, and the Rabbi ordered 
the cupboard to be shut, and some sealing wax to 
be brought forward. Ten of the Jewish friends 
were selected from among themselves, when the 
Rabbi told each to take the wax, and put his own 
seal upon the door, in such a manner that it could 
not be opened, unless those seals were broken. This 
being performed, he told the company he had no 
farther need of their service that day, but re- 
quested them to assemble again the next day at 
four o'clock, when they would be convinced which 
was the denied foot. They departed accordingly, 
and assembled the next day at the appointed time. 
The Rabbi told them every thing had been done 
that would satisfy them. He also informed them, 
that for many years he had studied the mysteries 
of Cabali, and on this day it shall be given to you 
to understand, that I have not studied it in vain. 
He then told them to examine their seals on the 
cupboard, and see if they were the same as they 
left the day before; when they all answered, Yes. 
He said, when you open the door, you will easily 
find which is the defiled foot, for you will find 
eighty feet standing upright, and one laying down, 
the same is the defiled foot. Upon this they opened 
the door, and found them exactly as the Rabbi had 
described, and which fully satisfied them that the 
Rabbi was well versed in the Cabali, and thus the 
matter ended. 

It must, however, be remembered by my readers, 
that the body of the Jews have many traits and 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



359 



good qualities about them; for whatever misfortune 
overtakes a Jew, he considers it all for the best, 
according to the rules laid down in the Mishna. I 
shall now relate one among many, as a proof that 
such is the case. 

The Jews believe that Elijah, the prophet, is 
going about in the world, as an ambassador of God, 
and is every where present at one time, and is in 
his person a venerable old man, wearing a long 
beard. 

On a certain day, a Rabbi by the name of Ben- 
jamin, who was versed in the Cabali, met the pro- 
phet Elijah, stopped him, and gave him a saluta- 
tion, and thus addressed him, " I know you are 
Elijah, the prophet ; you are going about the world 
in the service of God ; I will go with you and see 
your proceedings." Elijah made for answer, " It 
is out of my power to deny you, for I find you are 
a man of cabalistical learning, which gives you the 
power to compel me to let you go with me for a 
time." The Rabbi enquired, what he meant by a 
time? Elijah replied, " You are permitted to hear 
and see my proceedings, and abide with me as 
long as you ask no questions ; but the very moment 
you ask any questions concerning my proceedings, 
I must tell you the charm will then be broken, 
and you must leave me." 

It must be understood, according to the Mishna, 
that Elijah is invisible to all those who are unac- 
quainted with the Cabali ; but when he is with any 
one who knows the Cabali, then he is in appear- 
ance as other men. 



360 



FORMS, CIJ0TOMS, AND 



But to proceed. The first day they travelled 
together, they came to a small village, in which 
resided a Rabbi, who was stricken in years, and 
had a wife of the same age. They enquired for a 
lodging at the Rabbi's house ; he told them they 
were welcome to the entertainment his house would 
afford, as long as convenient for them to stop. The 
guests soon discovered the host and hostess were 
childless, and that the Rabbi spent his days in 
studying the law, and the wife was the means of 
the support of her husband. Their support was 
derived from this source. They were in possession 
of a cow, which gave a store of milk, and the host- 
ess went night and morning to the town to dispose 
of this milk to the inhabitants, and this was their 
only subsistence. They were happy in their station, 
and entertained their two guests with great kind- 
ness and hospitality. 

In the morning, when the guests arose, they 
found the hostess up before them, and had provided 
their meal. After prayer they partook of the same, 
and then bid their host and hostess adieu. 

The moment they left the house, Elijah made a 
stop, looked up to heaven, and proceeded. Benja- 
min asked Elijah, if he had any communication 
with God, as he had stopped and cast his eyes 
towards heaven? He told him he had asked for 
advice ; but Benjamin did not enquire the result. 
They were not gone two hundred yards from the 
dwelling, before the hostess hailed them, and in- 
formed them that the cow was dead. Elijah re- 
plied, " I killed the cow, or at least it was my 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



361 



wish ; go home and make yourself happy ; it is all 
for the best." 

They continued travelling until sabbath evening, 
when they entered into a synagogue, and when ser- 
vice was over, quite contrary to the usual custom, 
there were none of the congregation that gave 
them any salutation, nor acted in the manner which 
is usual towards strangers, by inviting them home 
to their houses. 

Before they left the town, Elijah prayed to God 
that each of those Jews, belonging to the congre- 
gation, might all become rulers. 

After this they journeyed together during the 
week following, and on the sabbath evening they 
entered again into a synagogue. Service being 
ended, the Jews, according to custom, came to 
them, and gave them the salutation, and each one 
offered to give them entertainment. They were 
treated very comfortably, and with much respect 
during their stay. When they left the town, Elijah 
prayed to God, that amongst this congregation 
there might be only one ruler. 

Rabbi Benjamin was again vexed and perplexed, 
and pondered within himself what all this could 
mean. He thought within himself, "Is this Elijah, 
the servant of God ? for since I have been with 
him, whatever I see him do, is contrary to reason. 
First, how kindly we were entertained by the Rabbi, 
where the milk of one cow was their only support. 
If Elijah had had any gratitude, instead of killing 
the cow, he would have prayed to God to have 
given them another. Secondly, when we entered 
2 z 



362 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 

the first synagogue, and they shewed not the usual 
hospitality towards us, Elijah then prayed that each 
one might become a ruler. Thirdly, when we en- 
tered the other synagogue, where we were kindly 
received, according to the customary hospitality, 
Elijah prayed that they might have only one ruler. 
If I ask questions, and it is explained, I shall then 
have no power to remain with him. I will there- 
fore stop with him until I shall see further of his 
actions, and then if I find they accord with my 
feelings, I will enquire the meaning of such extra- 
ordinary proceedings." 

They continued on in their travels, when they 
saw, upon a hill, a noble mansion, where they 
understood that a Jew resided, They went up to 
the gate, under the idea of gaining admittance; 
but what was their surprize, when the master of the 
house bid his servants drive them away with the 
dogs ! After leaving this inhospitable mansion, 
they stood aghast at such unusual proceedings, and 
Benjamin seemed to be in a great hurry to leave 
the spot ; but Elijah said, " Nay, stop ; I will be 
revenged for his behavior towards us." 

This mansion being a noble building, having a 
fine garden, fountains, and a park attached to it, 
the whole surrounded with a high wall, seemed to 
be the very model of perfection, except the wall. 
This was quite the reverse, as it was giving way 
considerably. When Elijah beheld it, he said to 
Benjamin, " This is the revenge I will take; now 
I will make this tottering wall become upright." 
Having so said, it was immediately done. 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



363 



Benjamin now became almost enraged, and said 
to Elijah, "What have you done? Why did you not 
pray for the wall to fall down and put this wicked 
man to the expence of rebuilding it, for his cruel 
conduct towards us?" Elijah replied, "I have 
no doubt you have remarked my proceedings since 
you have been with me, and in your idea I have 
acted contrary to reason. Your conjectures may 
be right, but wait until I shall clear up the matter 
to you, which I shall quickly do, and convince you 
that whatever happens is for the best, according to 
God's decree." 

He then said, "Benjamin, listen to me; I am 
a servant of the living God ; he does not err in his 
ways ; he is a God of justice and mercy ; his 
loving kindness has no bounds. Remember when 
we entered into the Rabbi's house, you was a wit- 
ness of their hospitality towards us. I am sure 
you can never forget the kindness of the hostess. 
Although nearly eighty years of age, she rose early 
in the morning, to provide for our comfort before 
we departed. Having partook of the repast, we 
wished them adieu. The moment after we left 
their habitation, I found, by inspiration, that at 
that very period, the days of the hostess were 
numbered, and that she was about to depart this 
life. My heart melted within me, for the sake of 
the poor old Rabbi, who would be deprived of such 
a partner. Therefore, I prayed to God, that the 
life of the cow might be taken, and the life of the 
old woman spared, as it was possible for the Rabbi 
to get another cow, but he could not get another 



364 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



wife of such amiable qualities, and indefatigable 
exertions. 

"Moreover, when we came to the first synagogue, 
we received no salutation, nor entertainment from 
them; and when we left them, I prayed that they 
might all become rulers. Now, to understand this, 
you must remember that in any society or public 
body of persons, where every one is anxious to act 
the part of a master or ruler, there is, of course, 
no peace ; more particularly in a synagogue, where 
every one pants with intense desire to become a 
ruler. This being the case, the peace of God can- 
not dwell among them. 

"Recollect also, when we arrived at the second 
synagogue, there we found different treatment, for 
they were very kind. I then prayed to God, that 
there might be but one ruler amongst them ; for 
where such is the case, and they invariably look 
up to him as such, there the peace of God is sure 
to attend them." 

When Elijah was about to proceed farther, Ben- 
jamin said to him, " The point is now fully cleared 
up to my satisfaction, but I cannot comprehend 
how you are to clear up the other point ; viz. caus- 
ing the wall to become upright." 

Elijah replied, "You must first hear, and then 
judge." He then proceeded thus: "When we went 
up to the mansion, the host gave orders to set the 
dogs upon us. And when we returned, after our 
consternation and fright no doubt, your mind was 
much hurt; and on beholding the wall in such 
a tottering state, very probably your prayers would 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



365 



have been, could they have prevailed, that the 
wall might have fallen in, as a complete ruin, so that 
the owner might have been put to the expence of 
rebuilding it. This, no doubt, was your desire. 
But recollect, God rules and judges the world 
according to his wisdom. The thoughts of God 
are not like the thoughts of man, for he acts in 
mercy, as well as in justice. Benjamin, remember, 
if this wall had fallen in, he would have built a 
new one, but God would not permit it, for this 
reason. Many years ago, a civil war broke out, 
but before the enemy approached, the inhabitants 
of. the town, and neighbourhood of this mansion, 
took their jewels of gold and silver, and other 
valuables, and buried them under ground. Those 
inhabitants being slain in the war, their jewels have 
never yet been discovered. After the lapse of years 
this mansion was built, and the surrounding wall, 
and under a part of its foundation this treasure 
lies concealed. Therefore, if this wall had fallen 
in, they would have dug up the old foundation, to 
lay a new one; the consequence would have been, 
he would have found the hidden wealth; but as the 
wall was restored to strength, he became deprived 
of the treasure." Benjamin was satisfied, and said, 
"He could plainly see, whatever God does is well 
done." 

We find in the Scriptures, that God commanded 
children to obey their parents ; likewise, it is com- 
manded, when they find a bird's nest by chance, 
they are forbid to take the old with the young. To 
us it may seem strange ? and also cruel to deprive 



366 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



the old of their young. All that can be said on this 
point, it is God's decree, and what he commands 
must be right. We must not begin to learn where 
God has left off teaching. 

It is recorded, that a certain Rabbi had an only 
son, who was the greatest comfort he had this side 
the grave, except his religion. The son was 
very learned, and worked hard to support his aged 
parent. One day the father and son were walking 
in a garden ; the father espied upon a tree a bird's 
nest; he ordered his son to take it down, and drive 
the old ones away. The son immediately obeyed. 
Being a very high tree, he got a ladder, and ascend- 
ed ; but in the act of reaching the nest, he over- 
balanced himself, fell down, and expired before his 
father. This occurrence caused great consterna- 
tion among the Jews ; for this reason : the Gemara 
says, the two most important commandments are, 
to obey parents, and not to retain the old birds 
with their young. 

In the above instance, you find that two of the 
greatest commandments were obeyed at one time; 
but in the performance, the son lost his life. 

The Rabbies say, he did not lose his life by 
obedience, but the contrary ; his time was come, or 
at least it was God's good pleasure that it should 
be so. As I have already mentioned, when men 
are born, they have two measures — one for their 
sins, and the other for their good deeds. When 
either of these measures become full, let it be the 
one or the other, they are sure to depart this life. 
According to this rule it happened in the case now 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 367 

before us. The measure of this young man, con- 
taining his good deeds was now filled up, with the 
exception of two, which would have been sufficient 
to fill up the quantum. From this and the like 
statements, you plainly see, that our Lord's words 
are true, when he reproved them by saying, " By 
your traditions you have made the law void." 

We read in the Scriptures, Genesis xi. 20, " And 
Noah began to be an husbandman, and planted a 
vineyard." And we find in part of the twenty-first 
verse of the same chapter, that " He drank of the 
wine, and was drunken." 

This, the Rabbies say, would be a stumbling 
block to the world, if the point had not been 
otherwise cleared up. For they consider that it 
was impossible for Noah, a man who had received 
so many favors of God, as in that he and his family 
were saved from the flood, should act with such 
base ingratitude towards him; for he well knew by 
inspiration, that a drunken man in the sight of 
God was an abomination, and that such cannot 
enter the kingdom of heaven. But, according to 
the oral law, he is fully exonerated, as will appear 
from the quotation which I shall here give. 

It states, that after the flood, when Noah and his 
family came forth from the ark, he offered sacrifice 
to the Lord, in behalf of himself and them. He 
also built an altar for the purpose; took of every 
clean fowl and clean beast, and offered it up to the 
Lord, who, when he had smelled a sweet savor, said, 
" That he would not again bring a curse upon the 
ground for man's sake, although the imagination of 



368 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



his heart is evil from his youth ; neither would he 
again smite every thing living, as he had done. For 
while the earth remaineth, seed time and harvest, 
cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and 
night, should not cease. And God blessed Noah, 
and his sons, and said unto them, be fruitful and 
multiply, and replenish the earth. Every beast 
and every fowl shall dread you, and all the fishes 
of the sea I deliver into your hands." 

When Noah heard this he rejoiced, and said he 
would plant a vineyard. He selected a certain 
spot as sacred to the Lord, and said, "On this spot 
I will plant a vine, and no man shall water it, or 
train it." When he had prepared the ground, he 
fell prostrate before God, and said, " O God of the 
universe ! thou hast promised that the world shall 
not be drowned again, but that it shall be mul- 
tiplied, and the earth bring forth its produce. O let 
thy servant have this consolation, that the world 
may encrease as thick as clusters of grapes on a 
vine. And he heard a voice from heaven, saying, 
According to thy prayer, so it shall be done." Noah 
arose from the ground, and went to the spot which 
he had selected, and planted a vine, and while he 
was occupied in planting it, the devil stood as a 
looker on, and trembling, thus addressed himself 
to the evil spirits, who were in his train, and said, 
"If I am not careful to pervert Noah's proceedings, 
my kingdom will soon be at an end, and my power 
laid aside. I will now do my best, and you shall 
be eye-witness of the fact ; for I have taken notice 
of your alarm at the proceedings of Noah, and lest 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



369 



your services should be suspended, and you be 
altogether discouraged, I wish to state something 
sufficient to prevent such a result. Remember, I 
am a servant to wicked angels, and none can alter 
the decrees of God. It is true that Noah prayed 
to God, and entreated him to multiply and increase 
the world ; the same as clusters of grapes on the 
vine. His prayers went up before God, and were 
answered in such a manner as made his heart to 
rejoice. Now, I am well aware, that my power 
cannot prevail against a single individual, so 
long as he is faithful to his God ; but let him de- 
part from his duty, and it is then my power begins 
— it is then that all men are transformed from the 
service of God to my employ." 

Satan continued his address and said, " I will 
endeavor, and if possible, so prevail, that the vine 
planted by Noah, instead of becoming a blessing 
to the world, shall prove a curse." He having 
said thus much, discharged the evil spirits, assur- 
ing them that in due time, they should know the 
full result of all his labors. 

Noah, according to his vow, went to his vine- 
yard, and took particular care to nourish this vine. 
As soon as it began to take root, the devil came 
and brought with him a lamb, a lion, and a swine. 
These he took, each in rotation, and cut their 
throats, and let the blood of them run on the roots 
of the vine, which Noah had planted, and com- 
pletely soaked them. 

When the vine had grown nearly to perfection, 
Noah took peculiar care that the produce thereof 
,3a 



370 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



should be offered up, as a sacrifice to God; but the 
devil frustrated this design, and said, " It was by 
the fruit of a tree, which was planted in the garden 
of Eden, and of which man was commanded not 
to eat, that sin and death were first brought into 
the world, inasmuch as that command was viola- 
ted." Now, I shall here trace the exact similarity 
between the vine which Noah has planted, and 
the tree placed in the garden of Eden • for consider, 
Noah by his vow had made this vine sacred, as an 
offering, or sacrifice to God; but the devil said, ' ' If 
I can but prevail on Noah to partake of the pro- 
duce of that vine, my end will be answered." Now 
observe, when the fruit became ripe, Noah was 
astonished at the size and the beauty of the grapes, 
and said, " If I had not made a vow to the con- 
trary, I would most certainly partake of them." 
At that very moment, satan transformed himself 
into an angel, and thus addressed Noah : " You 
made a vow, that all the grapes which you gather 
from the vine, should be a sacrifice to the Lord; be 
careful and do not disobey, for your disobedience 
in this respect God will punish." Noah answered, 
"My vow will be fulfilled." They left the spot 
together, and walked round the vineyard, when 
Noah remarked, "That no vine gave such a pro- 
duce as this, for the fruit was far from being ripe, 
except those that he was going to offer up to the 
Lord." As they passed the vine again, the devil 
said to Noah, " Are you not partial to grapes?" 
His answer was, " Yes." The devil pointed to the 
ground beneath the vine, where some of the grapes 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



371 



had fallen off, and said, " You may take them and 
eat, for they are not sacred ; for your vow only 
extended to all that were upon the vine, as sacred 
to the Lord." Noah took it for granted, that what 
satan said was right, and therefore partook of them 
and did eat — got drunk — and in every respect 
broke his vow ; and which circumstance brought a 
curse and shame upon him, and caused the devil to 
triumph. 

The following day satan summoned all the evil 
spirits before him, and informed them that he had 
prevailed over Noah. They asked him to unfold 
to them the manner in which he had conquered him ; 
and also to inform them concerning the lamb, 
the lion, and the swine ; when he gave them this 
account of the matter, by stating as follows : " God 
gave every thing the earth produces for the good of 
mankind, if taken in moderation, particularly the 
juice of the grape. This makes man vigorous and 
strong. " He moreover said to them, " The effects 
produced by the juice of the grape are these, a man 
who drinks it in moderation becomes as a lamb ; if 
he indulges himself by intemperance, only in a 
small degree, he becomes strong as a lion ; but if 
he drinks to great excess, he then becomes like a 
swine ; and this has been verified by my efforts 
with Noah." Thus the reader is put in possession, 
according to the Rabbinical writings, of the reason 
why the devil slew the lamb, the lion, and the 
swine. It was that their blood might soak into the 
roots of the vine. But to proceed : 

The Scriptures inform us, " That one day with 



372 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



God is the same as a thousand years, and a 
thousand years as one day." Now, the Rabbies, 
by means of their cabalistic learning, endeavor to 
clear up this point in the following manner: — 

They say, that on the first day, God created the 
heaven and the earth; and said, ■ 'Let there be 
light and darkness ; and it was so," according to 
God's command. So they say, the first thousand 
years Adam was created; he was without sin, 
which is compared to light, and when he sinned, it 
was compared to darkness ; which alluded to the 
first day. 

The second day, God said, " Let there be a 
firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it 
divide the waters from the waters ; and God said, 
let the waters under the heaven be gathered 
together unto one place, and let the dry land 
appear; and it was so." 

The second thousandth year alludes to the time 
of Noah, when the world became wicked, and was 
doomed by God to be destroyed, except Noah and 
his family, who were preserved in the ark, when 
the waters covered the earth. This, together with 
the circumstance, that after due time, the waters 
abated, and dry land appeared, they consider the 
fulfilment of the second day. 

The third day, God said, "Let the earth bring 
forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit 
tree yielding fruit after its kind." This they explain, 
by saying— 

The third thousandth year, Abraham, Isaac, 
Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Joshua, &c. were born; who 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



373 



were men of integrity and piety. They, and their 
seed multiplied, and their conduct was, in every 
respect, according to the will of God. The deeds 
of those good men were an emblem of the trees, 
fruit, seed, &c. ; and this was the fulfilment of the 
third day. 

The fourth day, God said, "Let there be lights in 
the firmament of the heaven, and let them be signs 
for a season, and likewise stars." They proceed to 
observe upon this as follows — 

In the fourth thousandth year, the two temples 
were built in Jerusalem. These were two of the 
finest buildings that ever were erected ; and the 
stars denoted different priests and prophets, whose 
service was to officiate in those temples, which 
temples were compared to the grandeur of the sun 
and of the moon ; and this was a fulfilment of the 
fourth day. 

In the fifth day, God created all kinds of living 
creatures ; as beasts, birds, and fish in abundance ; 
and God blessed them, and made them to be fruitful 
and multiply, and all for the good of mankind; 
wild beasts, for man to hunt; birds, for the fowler 
to ensnare ; and fish, for the amusement of the 
angler; and all placed under the control of man. 

In the fifth thousandth year, the Jews, by their 
disobedience to God, were cast out of Jerusalem, 
and their inheritances. Some were slaughtered — 
some were taken captives — many escaped to other 
nations, and became a reproach and a bye-word. 
Many nations acted cruelly towards them; they 
were compared to wild beasts, who were hunted 



374 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



down by their enemies ; and this they consider was 
a fulfilment of the fifth day. 

The sixth day, God said, "Let us make man in 
our own image, and after our own likeness; and 
God created a man, and called his name Adam." 

Now in the sixth thousandth year, (which is 
the present time), a man will be born; but not 
in the common course of nature as a child, but 
one who will be the Jewish Messiah, and for whom 
they are looking, day by day. Yet the period of his 
delay will give them no uneasiness; for this reason, 
because they are given to understand, there is no 
set time, but eventually he must make his appear- 
ance, and which will be at the latter end of the 
sixth thousandth year. This will be the fulfilment 
of the sixth day. 

The seventh day is a day of rest: "And God 
rested from all his works." This refers to the 
seventh thousandth year, which will be to the Jews 
a time of rest. They will then inherit Jerusalem, as 
their resting place for ever ; which will be the 
complete fulfilment of the seventh day. 

You find in Numb. xxii. xxiii. xxiv., a full account 
of Balak, the son of Zippor, who was king of the 
Moabites. When he found the Jews increase and 
multiply, he sent messengers unto Balaam, the son 
of Beor, to come unto him; and when he came, he 
complained much against the Jews, and hired him 
to curse them; but the result was, he blessed 
them. 

It is related by the Eabbies, in reference to this 
affair, that when Balak found what passed, he was 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



375 



wrath against the Jews ; and at the same time, 
there was a man, of the name of Magog, who was a 
great enemy to the Jews, for what reason, is not men- 
tioned. This Magog had an interview with Balak, 
and informed him of the hatred he bore towards 
the Jews, and said he was sorry for the manner in 
which Balaam had conducted himself. Balak 
answered, "I will not rest, night nor day, until I 
am revenged on this people." Magog answered, 
"If it pleases the king, I will destroy every Jew, 
who is encamped in the valley ; for before they are 
aware of their danger, they shall be no more." 
This surprized the king, and he said, " Is it 
possible!" Magog answered, "There is only one 
way by which the king can be satisfied of it, and if 
he will give me liberty to use my power, to-morrow 
by this time, they shall be fully extinct." The 
king assented, with the promise of a good reward 
for his services. 

The following day, he went with the intention of 
destroying their encampment ; and the following is 
the plan he layed to effect it. 

The Jews' encampment was in a valley; the cir- 
cumference of which camp was four miles. On 
one side of the valley there was a mount, which 
was six miles in circumference. Magog was a man 
of great stature, being the strongest man in the 
world, and he formed the resolution, that he would 
take up the mount, and lay it on the camp, so as to 
put an end to them all at once. According to this 
scheme, he took up the mount with his two hands, 
and held it over his head, in order to take a sure 



376 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



aim ; but just at this critical moment, Moses espied 
the danger in which the camp was placed, and ran 
for a sword, sprang at the side of Magog, and by 
the help of God wrought a great wonder in the sight 
of the Jews. After this, Moses grew to a man of 
stature ; he was twenty yards high — his sword be- 
came twenty yards long— was able to make a spring- 
forty yards high, and it was thus he was enabled to 
wound Magog on the ancle, which caused him to 
fall ; and the mountain which he held in his arms 
fell upon himself, and put an end to his existence, 
and of course to his wickedness. 

I shall now proceed to relate, the way in which 
the Jews proceed in the management of their dead. 

Just before a Jew is taken out of the house to 
be buried, the relations and children, and acquaint- 
ances of the deceased, stand round the coffin, when 
the feet are uncovered, and each in rotation lays 
hold of the two great toes, and begs pardon for 
any offence they may have given to the deceased 
during his life, and hopes he will forgive them; and 
likewise requests that he will speak in their behalf, 
in the next world, according as he may deem pro- 
per. This custom is very strictly adhered to, and 
seldom if ever omitted. 

It is likewise a practice with them, that when a 
child dies, under twelve years of age, then all such 
as have been playmates with it, have by their 
parents, with a piece of worsted, the exact measure 
of their height and breadth taken, and afterwards 
made into a small ball, and put into the coffin 
with the deceased infant ; and the reason they 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS . 



377 



assign for this practice is, that if this custom was 
not regarded, his playmates would long after, and 
lament the loss of the deceased ; hut this will 
operate as a charm against it. 

If a female dies in child-bed, it is then a custom, 
and strictly adhered to, to make up the bed of the 
deceased every morning, for thirty-one days; as 
they consider it would be very dangerous for any one 
to lie in the same bed ; inasmuch as the deceased is 
supposed to lie in it every night during that period. 

The following, also, was a custom when I was a 
boy. In the room of a lying-in woman, it was 
usual to have pinned on the bed curtain, and like- 
wise near the window, chimney, and door, a 
collection of Psalms, for the purpose of keeping off 
evil spirits ; but of late, I am given to understand, 
this practice has been abandoned ; for not long 
since, I enquired of a Rabbi the reason of its dis- 
continuance. He answered me, " The Rabbies had 
met, and, after due deliberation, concluded that 
they did not think it proper that those Psalms 
should be pinned up in a room that was defiled." 

In every place or situation where a Jew departs 
this life, three houses to the right, and three houses 
to the left of the house of the deceased* if any 
Jew should reside in them, all the water in their 
dwellings is thrown away, as it is considered 
defiled ; for they believe, that when any Jew, who 
departs this life, the destroying angel takes a 
knife, and cuts his throat, which is invisible to 
mortals, and the blood that adheres to this knife 
he washes off in the water of six houses ; that is, 
3 B 



378 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



three to the right and three to the left. This 
custom is never deviated from, as they consider 
the water defiled. 

After the corpse is carried out, the following 
ceremony is observed in reference to the spot where 
it had been placed before it was washed and 
shrouded. They take a saucer, filled with oil, and 
cotton wick, which they light, and then hang up 
a napkin, and set a basin of water. The light is 
kept burning thirty-one days, under the idea, that 
the spirit of the departed hovers about the light 
during that period of time, and they draw their 
conclusions as to the state the spirit is in, by the 
dimness or brightness of the light of this cotton 
wick. For the seven first mornings, the basin is 
replenished with clean water, under the impression 
that the deceased comes seven times to purify him- 
self in this water. 

It may, perhaps, appear strange to my readers, 
that the body of the Jews should so strictly adhere 
to all these customs, laid down by the Rabbies. 
But I wish them to consider, that they do not 
deem it any yoke, but a duty ; for they are taught 
by the Rabbies to believe, that if the first tables of 
stone had not been broken by Moses, they would 
have had ten times more commandments to keep 
than they now have. Therefore, they are not to 
repine, nor regret, that the first tables of stone 
were broken; nor was any blame to be attached 
to Moses, in throwing them down, and breaking 
them. It has been asserted by the wicked Jews of 
those times, that Moses was not a fit leader to the 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



379 



people, being a passionate man ; but the Mishna 
fully exempts him from all their accusations. 

The Mishna says, the two tables of stone were 
upwards of two tons weight, but the moment God's 
word and commandments were engraved thereon, 
by the Shameer, they became as light as a feather. 
When Moses left the mount, and came within 
sight of the molten calf, and the multitude shouting, 
he was alarmed; and when the rays of the molten 
calf, which were of gold, came in contact with the 
tables of stone, immediately the letters thereon 
flew away, and the tables of stone returned to their 
former weight, which were more than Moses could 
support; and, therefore, he threw them down, and 
they brake in pieces. 

The Rabbies moreover say, that Moses was the 
richest man that ever was, or ever will be. His 
riches consisted of diamonds, which he got in pos- 
session of in the same way as every laborer gets 
rewarded, by being considered worthy of his hire. 
Moses was the head leader of the Jews, and never 
looked for any emolument from them. God, there- 
fore, rewarded him in this way. Those two tables 
of stone were one solid mass of diamond, and the 
chippings that came from the two tables were his 
own perquisites. But what was truly wonderful 
and astonishing, as the chippings flew off, they 
became regular and beautiful in their form. This 
circumstance gave the wicked Jews occasion to 
charge him with breaking them for the purpose, 
that he might again have the like opportunity, and 
obtain more chippings. 



380 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



But I proceed to relate another matter, as given 
by the Rabbies. It has been a custom, from time 
immemorial, when a man arrives to a marriage- 
state, to go in pursuit of a partner for life; but it 
is very unusual, on the other hand, for a woman to 
seek after one to become her partner, for this 
reason ; a woman has nothing to seek, inasmuch 
as she has lost nothing. But a man must look till 
he finds what he has lost, which is his rib \ there- 
fore it is natural for the man to seek, and not 
the woman. 

They also assert, that the reason why a man and 
his wife lives unhappy after marriage, is this, he 
has not got his right rib. 

But 1 would now remind my reader of the kind- 
ness and liberality of the great body of the Jews. 
I venture to say, that every Jew, from the time he 
is able to provide for himself, and his household, 
that his religion costs him, upon the average, five 
shillings in the pound, extra, or beyond what it 
costs the Christian world. For the religion of a 
Jew chiefly consists in meats and drinks, and loss 
of time. During holidays, and different festivals, 
their ceremonies are attended with great expence. 
For instance, their butcher's meat, upon an average 
is three-halfpence per pound more than is paid by 
other people ; for it must be killed in a peculiar 
way, and by persons appointed for that purpose. 
Now it often happens, that some of the animals 
are found to be defiled. Sometimes it occurs, 
that the knife which is used for dividing the 
windpipe may slip on one side, owing to the animal 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



381 



springing up, just as the person employed is in the 
act of performing his duty ; and by that means the 
throat is not properly severed, then it is declared 
to be denied ; or if the knife should receive a flaw 
in the act of slaying the animal, it is also defiled. 
Independent of all this, if on opening the animal 
the slayer finds the lights, in any degree adhering 
to the ribs, it is defiled. And we must add to the 
above, that if the animal be found clean, the Jews 
do not partake of the hinder quarters ; of which I 
have already spoken. 

Another thing I must mention. It is a rule for 
every Jew, who has it in his power, to take a seat 
in the synagogue ; and to their credit be it spoken, 
they seldom or ever deviate from it, but consider it 
a duty and a pleasure so to do. If a Jew be poor 
or rich, he must adhere invariably to all the rules 
laid down by the Rabbies. These above all things 
must never be departed from. 

Should a Jew live ten or twenty miles from a 
town where a synagogue is, he is obliged to send 
that distance for his meat ; and no doubt, upon an 
average, it costs him yearly for booking, porterage, 
baskets, and carriage, as much as the meat itself. 
So also, if a Jew should have live poultry, he can- 
not kill it himself, but it must be slain by a person 
appointed for that purpose, who receives a small 
fee for every bird so killed. 

It has been remarked by many persons, that they 
are much surprized that so few of the Jews are 
mechanics. But it is a fact that there are more 
mechanics among them than the world in general 



382 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



knows. For my own part, I am surprized there 
are so many ; and for this reason — no Jew will put 
his son apprentice to any trade, unless he is con- 
vinced, that when he comes out of his time, he 
shall be able to furnish him with the means of be- 
coming a master. Now, perhaps, many would ask, 
Why must he become a master ? Why not a jour- 
neyman ? I will inform the reader the reason. If 
any person, except a Jew, serves his apprentice- 
ship, and becomes a journeyman, he labors six 
days in the week, which is a privilege a Jew has 
not got ; particularly if he should engage himself as 
a journeyman to a master who is a Christian. For 
in the first place, the Jewish sabbath commences 
before the sun goes down on Friday, and Saturday 
is his sabbath. In the next place, a man who is a 
Christian will not employ journeymen on the Chris- 
tian sabbath. And besides all this, during the year 
there are many festivals, which are to them days of 
rest, and are nearly twenty in every year, indepen- 
dent of their minor holidays, and stated times for 
morning and evening service. So that upon the 
lowest estimate, a journeyman of the Jewish per- 
suasion, loses one hundred and fifty day's labor in 
every year, while the Christian has no occasion to 
lose more than fifty-two. 

The liberality among the Jewish nation is worthy 
of notice. In many of their synagogues, there are 
forty or fifty Pentateuchs, which are rolls contain- 
ing the laws of the five books of Moses, and are 
written on vellum, and presented to the synagogues 
for their use, as a voluntary offering by the opulent 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



383 



Jews. The expences of each of these are very- 
great, which I shall now explain. First, the vellum 
must be manufactured by a Jew, and the skin must 
be of calf, that has been slaughtered by them; and 
when manufactured, if a spot or the least blemish 
be found thereon, it is considered defiled, and they 
will not use it. Upon an average, a roll of the law 
will take sixty skins, and for this reason: the mid- 
dles are taken out in a square piece, and joined to 
each other ; after which, they are affixed to two 
mahogany rollers, which generally cost not less 
than fifty pounds. 

In the next place, the Pentateuch is a manu- 
script, and must be written by a scribe. He must 
be married, and a man of learning and integrity: 
one looked upon as possessing some dignity, or he 
must not write the law. Of course the salary must 
be adequate to his station. Those who present 
one of these rolls of the law to the synagogue, 
generally have it written under their own roof ; and 
the reader must understand, that this Pentateuch 
is written in columns, about sixteen inches wide; 
and it is not allowed in this or any other Jewish 
manuscript, or printed books, when they come to 
the end of a line, to divide a word; and therefore, 
to prevent this, they always contrive to stretch out 
the word, so as to make it uniform. It is always 
written in Hebrew. 

They consider it much more honorable to have it 
written under their own roofs, than at any other 
place. It is also a law laid down by the Eabbies, 
that the first five days in the week, there shall be 



384 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



only a certain number of lines written each day, 
which is but a trifling number. Besides, their time 
is much occupied during their writing, with a great 
variety of other matters ; and they have certain 
prayers which must be said during the time. The 
ink they write with, is also made up in a peculiar 
manner, and of ingredients 'which are not defiled by 
other hands. The donor of the gift, independent 
of having it written under his own roof, has at 
different periods, while it is writing, many of the 
Rabbies, who come to examine it, in case of any 
mistakes. Every time they make such visits he has 
to entertain them ; and it not unfrequently occupies 
at least two years to write. Hence, as a fair com- 
pensation for the scribe, and other additional ex- 
pences, the reader cannot possibly conceive the sum 
that is required. 

It now devolves upon me to give my readers 
some description of the superb covering that is 
prepared for this Pentateuch. In the first place, 
there is a mantle, or covering, made in the follow- 
ing manner. It is seamed up at the sides and the 
top, leaving two large loop holes for the rollers to 
appear; but the bottom of the said covering, or 
mantle, is quite open. Secondly, the texture or 
quality of those mantles, is excellent, consisting of 
rich brocades and silks, and embroidered with gold, 
silver, and precious stones, according to the fancy 
of the giver. Thirdly, the decorations which they 
have to complete it are two sockets, made of gold 
or silver, in the following manner: each of them 
is a foot in length, and is fixed on the top of the 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



385 



two rollers. They are made globular, and on the 
summit is a crown, a bird, or a flower, according 
to the taste of the donor ; and on the globe there 
are a great number of little hooks and little bells 
attached to them, all made of gold or silver. 
Fourthly, there is also a small gold hand, formed as 
follows. The hand is shut, except the fore finger, 
which is pointing, and is fixed to a handle a foot in 
length, at the extremity of which is a loop, hang- 
ing down outside the mantle ; and the whole toge- 
ther has a very grand appearance. 

When the Pentateuch is finished, a day is ap- 
pointed by the chief Rabbies, for the presentation 
of the gift. The synagogue is generally crowded 
on the occasion, and in the time of prayers the pre- 
sentation is offered. All the Pentateuchs are taken 
out of the ark by the different donors, if present, 
or by their relations, and are carried in their arms, 
although they are very heavy. They walk in pro- 
cession with them seven times round the desk, 
which is placed in the midst of the synagogue. 
The donor of the gift on that day leads the van. 
The whole ceremony has a very striking appear- 
ance, particularly if the presenting of it should take 
place in the evening, the synagogue being then 
brilliantly illuminated 

The ceremony being over, it is customary for the 
donor to invite the chief Rabbi, and the circle of 
his relations and friends to a feast. During the day 
there is a prayer offered up for the benefactor ; 
and each one present offers a gift in coin, which is 
put into the treasury for the benefit of the poor. 
3 c 



386 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



I shall now conduct my readers on to consider, 
the strict observance which the Jews pay to matters 
of but little moment, and which are numerous 
amongst them. I have myself been in the syna- 
gogue on the sabbath day, when the Pentateuch has 
been chaunted by the reader, and in the midst of 
his reading he has made a pause, which very much 
alarmed the congregation. For you must observe, 
that by his pause and gestures, they apprehended 
something was dreadfully wrong, and which is 
always the case when such an event takes place. 
To witness the consternation is truly painful ; for 
you will see the chief Rabbi and the elders of the 
synagogue crowding round the desk, anxiously look- 
ing at the Pentateuch, and the congregation at the 
same time waiting to know what is amiss. In 
the case to which I allude, it happened that a letter 
was obliterated in the Pentateuch, and this caused 
the consternation. There were two reasons for 
this. First, the Pentateuch is invariably reckoned 
defiled, until it is rectified and made completely 
perfect. Secondly, each of the males present, when 
such a circumstance occurs, must fast twenty-four 
hours, at some period or set day, appointed by the 
Rabbies. The same also must be observed, should 
it be proved, that at any period a letter is wrong 
placed, or a word therein wrongly spelt. 

Another curious circumstance takes place among 
private individuals, worthy of notice. At the time 
of morning prayer, when they put on the Tephillin, 
i. e. phylacteries, if it should so happen, that they 
fall on the floor, or even the little bag in which 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



387 



they are deposited ; this so alarms the individual, 
that he takes them up immediately, and kisses 
them three times, and fasts until one o'clock on the 
Monday or Thursday following, as it may happen. 

Observe further : should it so happen, that when 
a meat dinner is provided for a family, that by some 
mishap a piece of butter, even if no larger than a 
barley corn, should drop into the said victuals, or 
one drop of a tallow candle, if the dinner so pro- 
vided be not of animal food, such as fish, flour, or 
vegetables, in which butter or milk is required, it is 
thereby defiled. And should it so happen, that a 
particle of animal food should fall into it, it is also 
defiled, and the family dare not partake of it. 
Many more observations of the like nature are 
regarded by them, and which caused our Lord to 
say in his day, " You strain at a gnat and swallow 
a camel." 

I have not the least doubt, but that there are 
very many in the world, who, if they should by 
chance see any of the Jewish nation partake of 
swine's flesh, would be much surprized, as it is well 
known, that they are forbid to eat it. But, let it 
be understood, it is not only swine's flesh that they 
are forbid to eat, but also many other animals, ac- 
cording to the Levitical law. I am sorry to say, 
there are many men, who have professed themselves 
Christians, who have cast many unkind reflections 
on them for their punctuality : but if they were 
diligently to read the five books of Moses, and pay 
strict attention to the sundry laws therein con- 
tained, they would find that a Jew is not only 



3.88 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



debarred from eating swine's flesh, as recorded in 
the eleventh chapter of Leviticus, from the first 
verse to the end of the chapter, and which relates to 
those laws pertaining to meats ; but in the obser- 
vance of these laws he would find they are justi- 
fied. It was the command of God that they should 
be obeyed until the Messiah appeared ; and as my 
poor brethren according to the flesh, are so blinded 
as to be still looking for a Messiah, persuaded that 
he has not yet made his appearance ; therefore 
upon this very point, they act with strict integrity, 
by observing the injunction thus laid upon them. 
And there is no doubt, but God laid this injunc- 
tion upon the Jews, when they were in the wilder- 
ness, for wise and good purposes ; but not as they 
imagine, which is matter of fact, that by their being 
strict in the observance of these rites, that it will 
save their immortal souls. Yet, it is upon this, and 
this only, they rest their hopes for eternal life. I 
have no doubt but that many who have read the 
eleventh chapter of Leviticus, have been induced 
to wonder what ends were to be accomplished by it 
among the Jews ; but let us not be too anxious in 
prying into the mysteries of God. This does not 
become us, but perhaps we may draw such a con- 
clusion as the following without offending our Lord. 

When the Jews came out of Egypt, crossed the 
Red Sea, and were residing in the wilderness, they 
were placed for the space of fifty years, in the midst 
of idolatrous nations ; and when God selected them 
for his people, and gave them the ten command- 
ments from Mount Sinai, by the hands of Moses, 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



389 



it was for the purpose of putting a difference 
between them, and the surrounding nations ; there- 
fore, it was that the Lord laid this injunction upon 
them, as a test of their obedience. 

Upon all the laws which are laid down in the 
Scriptures, the Mishna and Gemara have made 
their comments, and that in their own way; yet 
they say it is not their construction, but according 
to the oral law, which was given to Moses, on 
Mount Sinai. With regard to the commands of 
meats, of which the eleventh chapter of Leviticus 
treats so largely, they are perfectly silent. But I 
wish here to remark, that the construction which 
the Rabbies put upon the contents of the said 
chapter is merely a moral inference of their own, 
and not inserted either in the Mishna, or Gemara. 
They give you their ideas in the following manner. 
They say, that a person who is sick, sends for a 
doctor, or a physician ; when he comes, he feels 
his pulse, and prescribes what he conceives needful. 
If he finds the patient past recovery, he will then 
order the family not to debar him from any thing 
which his appetite desires. For perceiving the 
patient cannot live, he considers it is of no use to 
deprive him of any food he wishes for ; but on the 
contrary, if he sees that his patient is likely to 
recover, then he prescribes medicine and diet 
accordingly. 

By this simile, the Rabbies have compared the 
wicked to a sick person, who must die, having no 
hope of future good. The same comparison is 
made with regard to the heathens, which were in 



390 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



those days when the Jews were in the wilderness ; 
they were under no kind of restraint, but the body 
of the Jews were. They were like to a sick person, 
for they ofttimes sinned, but God knew that they 
would recover by their repentance, and, therefore, 
those restraints were laid upon them. 

There is another admonition given to the Jews 
in Exodus xxxv. 3, where it is said, "Ye shall 
kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the 
sabbath day." Now observe, the Gemara, the 
Mishna, the Talmud, and others, have expatiated 
more largely upon this verse, and upon the word 
fire, than they have upon any other passage which 
is contained in their various comments, consisting 
of two folio volumes. If any person were to be an 
eye-witness of the proceedings of the Jews, in 
conducting themselves in reference to their fire in 
their dwellings, on their sabbaths, they would find 
that they are more particular in the observance of 
the law respecting fire, than they are on any other 
occasion whatever. 

It may be truly said upon this point, that 
although they are so tenacious, yet they transgress 
more in this respect, than, perhaps, they do in 
other observances. For the command is, "You 
shall have no fire in your habitations;" therefore, if 
this command were strictly obeyed, they would not 
allow any fire whatever in their dwellings on the 
sabbath day. But the contrary is the fact. They 
have larger fires on those days, and more lights on 
the sabbath evening, than at any other season, and 
in this they do not consider they transgress. 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



391 



The opulent Jews make it an invariable rule, if 
they keep but one servant, that she shall be a 
Gentile; but if more, they are Jewesses. At all 
events, they will have one Gentile female servant, 
for the purpose of lighting and attending the fire 
and lights during the sabbath. But there are 
hundreds of Jews in London who have it not in 
their power to provide servants ; then they adopt 
the following rule among them. There are Gentile 
women who attend at the houses of the Jews on 
the sabbath, for the purpose of kindling their fires, 
and lighting and trimming their lamps and candles, 
and renewing their fires, and attending to warm 
their victuals, which is dressed the day before. 
Some of the Gentile women have got twenty or 
thirty Jews' houses to attend ; and their pay is 
fourpence each householder, besides broken victuals. 
There are many of those women who have been 
twenty years in their employ; and so particular 
are the Jews, that if a pot of victuals is put on the 
fire, and during her attending other fires, the said 
victuals was to burn, no one of the family would 
take it off, as they consider it sinning against God. 

This injunction is particularly laid down by God 
himself to the Jews, when he says, "You, nor your 
servants, shall not do any kind of labor." One 
would naturally suppose, as they will not touch fire 
themselves, they transgress by letting others do it 
for them; but they consider that the Gentiles in 
doing it commit no sin; as the servants alluded to 
in the command, relate to their own people, and 
not to strangers. 



392 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



I have no doubt, but the readers will be sur- 
prized at many of the Jewish traditions which I 
have presented to them. I hope, however, if they 
are not found very interesting, they will at least 
prove instructive ; although some of them may be 
painful in their details. I trust hereafter they will 
not look upon the Jews with disrespect, but rather 
with pity. Solomon says, " Train up a child in 
the way he should go, when he grows up he will 
not depart from it." Now the Jews, from their 
childhood, are trained up in those traditions ; they 
are instilled into their minds by their parents, and 
other tutors, in succession, from the earliest period. 
I have not written these things to the world at 
large, that my brethren may be held up to derision, 
or as a target to be shot at, but quite the contrary. 
I have done it to rouse the feelings, and particu- 
larly those of the Christian world, still to continue 
their prayers and benevolent exertions on their be- 
half. I am sorry to say, that many times in my 
travels, I have endeavored to instil upon the minds 
of those who call themselves Christians, the neces- 
sity there is to pray for them ; and I am sorry to 
add, that many times this has been the reply, 
" What is the reason why I should pray for the 
Jews? What have we received at their hands to 
merit our prayers ?" Let me simply ask such, If 
they have not received all from the hands of the 
Jews ? The poor Jews, who have become a re- 
proach, and a bye-word to all nations, in all their 
troubles, for nearly nineteen hundred years ; these 
are the men - that have preserved the ground-work 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



393 



of the Scriptures, which is one of the greatest 
blessings that has befallen you on this side of 
the grave, with the exception of the religion of the 
Lord Jesus Christ, You that look for comfort and 
consolation this side and beyond the grave, recol- 
lect all your comforts must flow from Jesus Christ, 
who himself took upon him the nature of the seed 
of Abraham, and the root of Jesse. It is by the 
blood of this Jew, that you and I can hope to 
find remission for all our sins. 

Some of the Christian world have even said, that 
it is of no utility to pray for the Jews ; for this 
reason — that the set time is not yet come, for the 
promise of God is, "After those days, I will give 
them a new heart, and a right understanding ;" 
and as he hath promised, he will surely fulfil his own 
word. Perhaps, many of my readers may say the 
same as others have said, that God's time is the 
best; in that I perfectly agree. But then, my dear 
Christian friends, you cannot tell in what way, or 
by what means, God may hasten this time. It 
may be by your manifold prayers and supplications. 
Look back to the Scriptures, there you will find, 
that when God said he would destroy Sodom and 
Gomorrah, Abraham, the friend of God, asked, 
"If he meant to destroy the righteous with the 
wicked." He answered, " Nay." Moreover, Abra- 
ham said to God, "If thou canst find fifty righte- 
ous persons, wilt thou save the cities ?" and he 
said, "Yes." But he could not find fifty, nor 
forty, nor thirty; nay, nor even twenty. Abraham 
prayed again, and said, "My God, if thou canst 
3 D 



394 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



find ten righteous persons, wilt thou save the 
cities?" And God said he would. Yet, awful to 
relate, God could not find ten righteous persons, 
and the result was, that Sodom and Gomorrah 
were destroyed. Here you plainly perceive, that 
if God could have found but ten righteous persons, 
the inhabitants of those two cities might have been 
saved. I hope and 'trust, in England, this highly 
favored country, there may be found many righte- 
ous persons, who will pray to God on behalf of the 
Jews, that they may be gathered in speedily, and 
become "One fold under one Shepherd/' — Christ 
Jesus our Lord. It is true, and I am sorry to admit 
it, that the awful imprecations which the Jews have 
called for, have, in many instances, been fulfilled 
in their history. ♦ 

It was a custom among the Romans, that when 
a prisoner was found guilty of any offence worthy 
of death, for the Judge, after passing sentence, to 
take a basin of water, and wash his hands, and thus 
address himself to the prisoner, and to the audi- 
ence — "I am innocent! I am innocent of your 
blood ! It is the law of our country which dooms 
you to die." It w T as also usual, at the time the 
Jews were under the Roman government, (for they 
had the privilege), once a-year, to ask for the life 
of a prisoner that had been doomed to die. At the 
time that Jesus was tried, and found guilty, by the 
false accusations of the Jews, there was a man of 
the name of Barabbas, who was really guilty, and 
doomed to die. When those two prisoners were 
brought before the Jews, they being asked, who 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



395 



should be released, they cried, " Crucify Jesus, 
and release Barabbas." At this, Pilate being aston- 
ished, took water the second time, and washed his 
hands, and said to the Jews, " I am innocent of 
this man's blood;" knowing it was through envy 
alone they had delivered him. 

It is greatly to be deplored, that the curse which 
the Jews invoked upon themselves, when they said, 
"His blood be upon us, and our children," has so 
powerfully affected them, and the whole of their 
posterity to the present day. For it is evident that 
the Jews have been for nearly nineteen hundred 
years a reproach and a bye-word to all nations. 
Yet, we rejoice, God does not sleep, neither does 
he slumber; his eyes are still upon the Jews; and 
in his mercy, he hath promised, that after those 
days, he "will give them a new heart, and a right 
understanding." And as sure as he hath promised, 
so sure it is that he will perform. 

Reader, I have no doubt, but that in times past, 
you have read missionary reports, concerning the 
heathen and idolatrous nations. You have been 
delighted again and again, that many thousands 
have cast their idols to the moles and bats, and 
are now serving Jesus of Nazareth. But still there 
are many millions who are serving idols, made of 
wood and stone, the work of their own hands. We 
are still in darkness, superstition, and folly; and 
such as have come to the light and knowledge of 
God, are fully aware that they would not serve 
these Gods of wood and stone, if they had not 
been induced to follow the advice laid down to 



396 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



them by their different priests. But it should be 
considered, that we must not compare the Jews 
with the heathens; for where is there a more 
enlightened nation than the Jews ? except on 
some particular points relating to the Messiah. 
But on this subject, I am sorry to say, they are 
wofully in the dark. Yet for this, they pretend to 
have got a foundation, or a sufficient basis on 
which to rest for their rejection of the Prince of 
Peace, and the Lord of life and glory. But I 
regret to say their foundation is such, that when 
the flood comes, it will wash it away, because 
it is built upon the sand ; as will fully appear when 
I give the reader to understand on which their 
hope for salvation rests. 

All the commandments that were given to Moses 
on Mount Sinai, were given to him with the proper 
explanations ; for it is said, "And I will give unto 
thee the tables of stone, and the law and the com- 
mandments." By the word Touro, i. e. the law, is 
meant the written law, and by the word Whyamits- 
voe, i. e. the commandment, is meant the proper 
interpretation thereof. And we are commanded to 
keep the law, according to the interpretation thereof, 
which interpretation is the oral law. The whole of 
what is called the written law, i. e, the Pentateuch, 
which is the text, was wrote by Moses himself, be- 
fore his death. The number of copies which he 
wrote were thirteen, and he gave one to each tribe, 
and one copy he put into the ark, to remain there 
continually, according to the commandment, in 
Deut. xxxi. 26 — " Take this book of the law, and 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



397 



put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the 
Lord your God, that it may be there for a witness 
against thee." But the interpretation of the law 
he did not commit to writing ; but gave it in charge 
to the elders, and Joshua, and the rest of Israel ; 
as it is said, " All the words which I command you, 
that shall ye take heed to do ;" and for that reason 
it is called the oral law. Now the oral law was 
that which Moses continually taught in his Sanhe- 
drim to the elders, and the rest of the people ; the 
manner of which was as follows: — 

As soon as Moses had returned to his tent, from 
receiving the word of God, he called Aaron thither 
unto him, and delivered unto him the text, which 
was to be the written law, and afterwards the inter- 
pretation of it, which was the oral law, in the same 
order as he received both from God in the mount. 
Then Aaron arising and seating himself at the right 
hand of Moses, Eleazar, and Ithamar, his sons, 
went in the next; and being taught both these laws, 
at the feet of the prophet, in the same manner as 
Aaron had been, they also arose and seated them- 
selves, the one on the left hand of Moses, and the 
other on the right hand of Aaron ; and then the 
seventy elders, who constituted the Sanhedrim, or 
great senate of the nation, went in, and being 
taught both these laws in the same manner, seated 
themselves also in the tent ; and then entered all 
such of the people as were desirous of knowing the 
word of God, and were taught it in the same man- 
ner. After this, Moses withdrawing, Aaron re- 
peated the whole of both laws, as he had them from 



398 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



him, and also withdrew ; and then Eleazar and 
Ithamar repeated the same, and likewise withdrew ; 
and also the seventy elders made the same repeti- 
tion to all the people then present ; so that each of 
them having heard both these laws repeated to 
them four times, they all had it thereby firmly fixed 
in their memories. 

The text was put in writing, as abovementioned, 
but the interpretation thereof was to be delivered 
down only by word of mouth, to the succeeding 
generations. And towards the latter end of the 
fortieth year, from their going forth out of the land 
of Egypt, in the beginning of the eleventh month, 
Moses calling all the people of Israel together, 
acquainted them of the approaching time of his 
death ; and therefore desired, that if any one had 
forgotten any part of what he had delivered to 
them, they should without delay repair to him, and 
he would repeat to them again what had escaped 
from their memories ; and he would farther explain 
unto them every difficulty and doubt which might 
arise in their minds, concerning what he had told 
them of the law of God. And they continued ap- 
plying to him all the remaining time of his life, 
which was from the beginning of the said eleventh 
month, till the sixth day of the twelfth month, 
which interval was employed in instructing them 
anew in the text, which is called the written law, 
and in the interpretation of it, which is called the 
oral law. And having on the said sixth day deli- 
vered to them the copies of the written law, he on 
the seventh day went up into Mount Nebo, and 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



399 



there died. After his death, Joshua, his successor, 
taught the said oral law in his Sanhedrim, and deli- 
vered it to the elders, who succeeded him, as will 
hereafter be shewn at large. 

The death of Moses happening in the year 2488, 
from the creation of the world, it is from thence 
to be reckoned the sovereignty of Joshua, his suc- 
cessor; and he is accounted the second receiver of 
the oral law, i. e. the first-born from Moses. The 
number of years Joshua judged Israel, is not speci- 
fied in Scripture ; but the Rabbies say that it was 
twenty-eight years, that is, from the year 2488, 
immediately after the death of Moses, to the year 
2516. 

Othniel, the son of Kenaz, the second Judge, 
that judged Israel, did so from the year 2516, dur- 
ing a period of forty years. In those forty years 
are included the eight years of their subjection to 
Chushan-rishathaim, King of Mesopotamia. Ac- 
cording to the Sedar Olam, it will be necessary to 
observe, that in the chain of receivers, as they are 
called by the Hebrew writers, i. e. the order of the 
time of those that received the oral law, there is 
great difference of opinion between Maimonides, 
and the author of Sepher Tuchsin, (who succeeds 
him), on one side, and Rabbi Dan Isaac Abarbanel 
on the other. I have, therefore, for the most part 
set down their different opinions in their proper 
place and years; and the reader is at liberty to 
choose which he pleases. 

The learned Rabbi Isaac Dan Abarbanel, in his 
preface to the book called Ocloth Nochloth Obeth, 



400 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



says, "That as to that passage in the Mishna, which 
says, 'And Joshua delivered it to the elders,' that 
in the term elders, are also to be included the 
Judges that judged Israel after the death of Joshua." 
Also in the Commentary, on that part of the Mishna 
entitled Oboth, of Rabbi Nathan, it says, ' 'Joshua 
received it from Moses, and the elders from Joshua, 
and the Judges from the elders, and the prophets 
from the Judges." And therefore Abarbanel says, 
" That Othniel received it from Joshua, and that 
he was the first of the Judges that received it after 
Joshua, and the third receiver from Mount Sinai, 
and from Othniel, and his Sanhedrim/' Ehud, the 
son of Gera, and his Sanhedrim, received it; and 
in like manner, every Judge and his Sanhedrim 
received it from the preceding Judge and his 
Sanhedrim. But according to the opinion of Mai- 
monides, the third receiver from Mount Sinai, was 
Phinehas, the priest ; but Rabbi Abarbanel will not 
admit it, for various weighty reasons. 

Ehud, the son of Gera, was the third Judge, and 
the fourth receiver, according to the opinion of 
Rabbi Isaac Abarbanel ; he judged Israel from the 
year 2556, eighty years ; but in them are included 
the eighteen years they were in subjection to Eglon, 
King of Moab. 

Shamgar, the son of Anath,was the fourth Judge; 
he judged Israel in the days of Ehud, the son of 
Gera ; and therefore, his years are included in the 
years of Ehud; and for that reason, Rabbi Abarba- 
nel has not reckoned Shamgar among the number 
of receivers ; besides, according to his opinion, 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



401 



every class of the receivers consisted of twelve ; 
L e. twelve of the elders and Judges ; twelve of the 
prophets; and twelve of the Mishnacal doctors. 

Deborah, the prophetess, and Barak, the son of 
Abinoam, the fifth Judge ; they judged Israel from 
the year 2636, forty years; but in them are included 
the twenty years of the subjection to Jabin, King 
of Hazor, according to the opinion of the author of 
Sedar Olam and Barak ; and his Sanhedrim re- 
ceived it from Ehud, and his Sanhedrim; and he 
was the fifth receiver from Mount Sinai, according 
to the opinion of Rabbi Abarbanel. 

Gideon, the son of Joash, of the tribe of Manas- 
seh, the sixth Judge ; he judged Israel from the 
year 2676, forty years, as mentioned in Judges viii. 
28 — "And the land was in quietness forty years, in 
the days of Gideon." But it seems that in those 
years are included the seven years of their servitude 
to Midian, according to the opinion of Raebag, and 
not according to the opinion of Radock. 

Abimelech, the son of Gideon, the seventh 
Judge, slew his brethren, to the number of seventy 
persons ; he judged Israel from the year 2717, three 
years; but this Judge, on account of his evil doings, 
the learned Rabbi Abarbanel has not reckoned 
among the number of the receivers of the oral law. 

Tola, the son of Puah, the eighth Judge; he 
judged Israel from the year 2719, twenty-three 
years, and he was the seventh receiver. 

Jair, the Gileadite, the ninth Judge ; he judged 
Israel from the year 2742, twenty-two years, and is 
accounted the eighth receiver. 
3 E 



402 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



Jephthah, the Gileadite, of the tribe of Manas- 
seh, the tenth Judge ; he judged Israel from the 
year 2781, six years, and he and his Sanhedrim 
were the ninth receivers, according to Rabbi 
Abarbanel. 

Ibzan, of Beth-lehem, the eleventh Judge ; he 
judged Israel from the year 2787, seven years. In 
his days was that affair transacted between Ruth 
and Boaz, as related in the book of Ruth; and here 
it is to be observed, that most of the Jewish 
commentators hold, that Ibzan was Boaz, because 
from several actions of Boaz it appears, that he 
was a Judge, and was from Beth-lehem; and we 
do not find among all the Judges, that any one of 
them was from Beth-lehem, except Ibzan, and 
Ibzan was the tenth receiver, according to Abarbanel. 

Elon, the Zebulonite, the twelfth Judge ; he 
judged Israel from the year 2793, ten years, and 
he was the eleventh receiver. 

Abdon, the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, the 
thirteenth Judge ; he judged Israel from the year 
2803, eight years, and he was the twelfth receiver. 

Samson, of the tribe of Dan, the fourteenth 
Judge; he judged Israel from the year 2811, 
twenty years; that is till the year 2831, till the 
time that Eli judged Israel; and he is accounted the 
thirteenth receiver from Mount Sinai. 

Eli, the priest, the fifteenth Judge ; he began 
to judge Israel at the age of fifty years, in Shiloh, 
from the year 2831, forty years; and in that very 
year that he was raised to the pontificial office, was 
the affair of Hannah, the wife of Elkanah, according 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



403 



to 'the author of Sedar Olam ; and Eli was the first 
high priest of the seed of Ithamar, and in the days 
of Solomon, the priesthood returned to Zadok, who 
was of the seed of Eleazar ; so that according to 
the opinion of Rabbi Dan Isaac Abarbanel, Eli was 
the fourteenth receiver from Moses, and the twelfth 
from Othniel, who was the first Judge after the 
death of Joshua ; and according to his opinion, 
here ends the twelve generations of the elders, who 
received the oral law, after the death of Joshua. 

Those that I have here mentioned, were the heads 
or principal receivers, as being the Judges of the 
respective ages in which they lived ; and every one 
of them was assisted by the great Sanhedrim, 
which consisted of seventy of the wisest and most 
eminent men, in the whole nation. 

Samuel, the prophet, the sixteenth Judge, judged 
Israel immediately after the death of Eli from the 
year 2871, eleven years. 

Samuel, the prophet, is accounted the first pro- 
phet in the chain of the receivers ; and he is the 
fifteenth receiver from Moses, according to the 
opinion of Rabbi Abarbanel. 

King David began to reign in Hebron, over his 
own tribe, namely, the tribe of Judah, at the age of 
thirty, from the year 2884, seven years and a half, 
and among the number of his Sanhedrim, was 
Gad, the seer, and Nathan, the prophet, and they 
received the oral law from Samuel, and they are 
accounted the second receivers among the prophets 
and the sixteenth from Mount Sinai. In their days 
Abiathar was high priest. 



404 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



The prophet Abijah, the Shilonite, and his San- 
hedrim; of these were Iddo the seer, and Shemaiah, 
the prophet, and Azariah the high priest, and the 
other wise men of Israel, who received it from 
David and his Sanhedrim ; and these were the third 
receivers among the prophets, and the seventeenth 
from Mount Sinai. This was in the year 2924. 

The prophet Elijah, the Tishbite, and his Sanhe- 
drim ; of these were Azariah, and Hanani, the seer, 
and his son Jehu, and Obadiah and Jahael, the son 
of Zechariah, and Micaiah, the son of Tinlah : all 
of whom were prophets, and Jehoram was high 
priest, and after him Jehoiada ; these received it 
from Abijah, the Shilonite, and his Sanhedrim; and 
this was the fourth receiving of the prophets, and 
the eighteenth from Mount Sinai, according to the 
opinion of Rabbi Abarbanel. This was in 2962. 

The prophet Elisha, the son of Japhet ; of his 
Sanhedrim, were Jonah, the son of Amittai, and 
Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada, prophets, and Joshua, 
the high priest: these received it from Elijah, the 
prophet, and were the fifth receivers among the 
prophets, and nineteenth from Mount Sinai, accord- 
ing to Rabbi Abarbanel and the author of Sedar 
Olam. This was in the eighteenth year of the reign 
of Jehoshaphat, King of Judah, which was in the 
year 3043. 

Jehoiada, the high priest, received it from Elisha 
and his Sanhedrim, in the year 3055, according to 
Sepher Tuchsin ; but Abarbanel has omitted the 
high priest Jehoiada, and not reckoned him among 
the number of receivers. 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



405 



Zechariah, the high priest, the author of Sepher 
Tuchsin, says, "That he received it from his father 
Jehoiada, in the year 3070 but Rabbi Abarbanel 
has also omitted to reckon him among the number 
of receivers. 

Hosea, the son of Beeri, the prophet, prophesied 
in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Heze- 
kiah, Kings of Judah, and in the days of Jereboam, 
the son of Joash, King of Israel ; and the time of 
his prophesying preceded that of the prophet Isaiah. 
Of his Sanhedrim, was Amoz, the father of Isaiah, 
the prophet, (who was also a prophet, according to 
the Rabbins, and Zedekiah, the high priest; and 
also according to the opinion of Rabbi Abarbanel) : 
they received the oral law from the prophet Elisha 
and his Sanhedrim ; and therefore he accounts 
them as the sixth receivers among the prophets, 
and the twentieth from Mount Sinai. This was in 
the year 3090, ten years before the death of the 
prophet Elisha; but Maimonides, as also the author 
of Sepher Tuchsin, have admitted Jehoiada, the 
high priest, and his son Zechariah, as receivers 
between the prophet Elisha and Hosea ; namely, 
Jehoiada in the year 3055, and Zechariah in 3070, 
as aforementioned. But Rabbi Abarbanel does not 
concur therein. 

Amos, a herdsman of Tekoa, prophesied unto 
Israel in the days of Uzziah only, two years before 
the earthquake. In his days Joel was high priest, 
and after him Uriah ; they received it from Hosea 
and his Sanhedrim ; and according to Rabbi Abar- 
banel, he was the seventh receiver of the prophets, 



406 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



and the twenty-first from Mount Sinai. He received 
it in the year 3110. 

Isaiah, the son of Amoz, prophesied in the days 
of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, who pro- 
phesied after the prophet Amos ; for Amos pro- 
phesied two years before the earthquake, and Isaiah 
on the very day of the earthquake ; he received it 
from Amos and his Sanhedrim in the year 3140. 
But according to Rabbi Abarbanel, he was the 
eighth receiver among the prophets, and the twenty- 
second from Mount Sinai. Tradition says, that 
Isaiah lived nearly ninety years after this, for 
Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah slew him. 

Micah, the Morasthite, prophesied in the days 
of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. In his days 
Shallum was high priest, and Micah received it 
from Isaiah, in the year 3160, and he was the ninth 
receiver among the prophets, and the twenty-third 
from Mount Sinai, according to Rabbi Abarbanel ; 
and these four prophets, viz. Hosea, Amos, Isaiah, 
and Micah, notwithstanding they received the oral 
law one from the other, yet they were cotemporary 
with each other. 

The prophet Joel, the son of Pethuel, received it 
from Micah, in the year 3190; of his Sanhedrim, 
were Nahum and Habakkuk who were prophets, and 
Seraiah was high priest ; he was the tenth receiver 
among the prophets, and the twenty-fourth from 
Mount Sinai. The time when Joel prophesied is 
not exactly known ; but Rasha, as also Rabbi David 
Kimchi, say, that this prophet was in the time of 
Jehoram, the son of Ahab, and during the seven 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



407 



years that Elisha said, " The Lord hath called for a 
famine." But according* to Sedar Olam, and also 
in Hilcoth Gadoloth, we find that Joel, Nahum, and 
Habakkuk prophesied in the days of Manasseh ; 
but on account of Manasseh being so very wicked 
a prince, they were therefore not called after his 
name, i. e. not mentioned as prophesying in his 
days. 

Nahum, the Elkoshite, prophesied against Nine- 
veh, some time after the prophet Jonah. Joel, 
Nahum, and Habakkuk prophesied in the days of 
Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah. Nahum received 
the oral law from Joel, in the year 3240, and accord- 
ingly reckons him as the thirteenth receiver among 
the prophets, although Rabbi Abarbanel has in- 
cluded him among the receivers in the time of Joel, 
i. e. as one of his Sanhedrim. 

Habakkuk, the prophet, prophesied concerning 
Nebuchadnezzar, and the Medes and Persians ; and 
according to the author of Sepher Tuchsin, received 
the oral law from Nahum, in the year 3254. 

Zephaniah, the son of Cushi, prophesied in the 
days of Josiah ; and according to the author of 
Sepher Tuchsin, received the oral law from the pro- 
phet Habakkuk, in the year 3280. But as to those 
three prophets, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah 
nothing further is said of them as receivers. 

Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, was called to the 
prophetic office, in the thirteenth year of King 
Josiah, which was in the year 3298, forty years 
before the destruction of the temple. And accord- 
ing to Rabbi Abarbanel, received the oral law from 



408 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



the prophet Joel ; and of his Sanhedrim was Zepha- 
niah, and Uriah, prophets, and Hilkiah was high 
priest, and after him Azariah • and he has accounted 
Jeremiah the eleventh receiver among the prophets, 
and the twenty-fifth from Mount Sinai ; and, there- 
fore, he has omitted numbering those three ; viz. 
Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah, as principal 
receivers ; but has included them in the Sanhedrim 
of Joel and Jeremiah ; viz. Nahum and Habakkuk, 
among those of Joel ; and Zephaniah, among those 
of Jeremiah. 

Ezekiel, the son Buzi, the priest, was called to 
the prophetic office in the fifth year of the captivity 
of Jehoiachin, which is the year 3332. And Rabbi 
Abarbanel has included the prophet Ezekiel among 
the number of prophets whom he has reckoned as 
receivers of the oral law. Ezekiel was the twelfth 
receiver among the prophets, and the twenty-sixth 
from Mount Sinai ; he has also not reckoned 
Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, among the num- 
ber of receivers among the prophets; but has 
included them with the men of the great synagogue ; 
but according to Maimonides, Buruch, the son of 
Neriah, received the oral law from Jeremiah, in 
the year 3350, which was twelve years after the 
destruction of the temple. 

Having thus given a brief account of the Judges, 
as also the prophets, who received the oral law 
from Moses, I shall now proceed in the like 
manner with the Mishnacal doctors, who received 
the oral law from the great synagogue, and who 
flourished in the year 3431. I shall also give a 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



409 



catalogue of their writings, as also what character 
the respective authors hore so far as shall appear 
necessary to our present purpose. 

The men of the great synagogue, who are known 
by name, as being expressed in Scripture, are 
Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, Zerubbabel, Mordecai, 
Ezra, the scribe, Nehemiah, the son of Hachaliah, 
Seraiah, and others ; in the whole to the number 
of one hundred and twenty persons, and they 
received the oral law from the prophet Ezekiel. 

The men of the great synagogue composed the 
liturgy, and according to the opinion of several 
Rabbies, the men of the great synagogue were all 
living in one age, being contemporary with each 
other, and not in succession, as the elders and 
prophets were ; and that they received the oral 
law from the prophet Ezekiel, as already men- 
tioned. Simon the Just was the last of them, and 
is the same who is called Jaddua, the son of Joshua, 
the son of Jozadak, the high priest, mentioned in 
Ezra iii, and in the prophecy of Haggai, and was 
the first of the Mishnacal doctors. But the author 
of Moer Enaiam has started an objection thereto; 
for he says, "If you search all through the books, 
both of Ezra and Nehemiah, you will not find 
Simon the Just to be the second generation after 
Joshua, the son of Jozadak;" but his opinion is, 
that Simon the Just was the eighth generation 
after Joshua, the son of Jozadak ; for proof hereof, 
he quotes the tenth verse of the twelfth chapter of 
the book of Nehemiah, which is as follows: "And 
Joshua begat Joiakim ; Joiakim also begat Eiiashib ; 
3 F 



410 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



and Eliashib begat Joiada; and Joiada begat 
Jonathan; and Jonathan begat Jaddua." So far 
Nehemiah goes. And it is a received tradition 
among the Jews, that Jaddua begat Chonouv, (the 
same as is called Onias, by the Christian authors), 
and that Chonouv begat Simon the Just ; also the 
author of Sepher Tuchsin, (page 137), "That 
Chonouv, the son of Jaddua, was the father of 
Simon the Just." And then, according to this 
opinion, the men of the great synagogue could not 
have been contemporary, but in succession of eight 
generations at least. 

In the days of Simon the Just, who succeeded 
his father in the high priesthood, Alexander marched 
towards Jerusalem; for the Tyrians, whom he had 
just conquered, being wholly given to merchandize, 
and neglecting husbandry, were mostly supplied 
with provisions by their neighbours, and Judea 
being the country from which they were chiefly 
furnished, Alexander, when he set down before 
Tyre, was forced to seek for his provisions from 
the same quarter. He, therefore, sent his commis- 
saries to require the inhabitants to submit to him, 
and to furnish him with necessaries for his army. 
The Jews pleaded their oath to, and covenant with 
Darius, by which, they considered themselves not 
obliged to own any new master, so long as he lived ; 
neither would they obey his commands. This 
exceedingly angered Alexander, who in the flush of 
his late victories, and thinking all ought to submit 
to him, was determined to bear no contradiction. 
Therefore, as soon as he had done with Tyre, he 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



411 



marched against Jerusalem, with the intention to 
punish the Jews as severely as he had the Tyrians, 
for not obeying his commands. In this great dis- 
tress, the high priest, and all Jerusalem with him, 
found they had no other course to take, but to rely 
on God's protection, and implore his mercy to 
them, for their deliverance from this danger. In 
order to effect this, they made their devout suppli- 
cations unto him with sacrifices and prayers, by 
which, he being moved to compassion towards 
them, inspired Simon, the high priest, with the 
thought to go forth, and meet the conqueror in his 
pontificial robes, attended by the whole of the 
priests, all properly habited. When he approached, 
he beheld them all, in this solemn manner, coming 
towards him; he was struck with profound awe, at 
the spectacle, and hastening forward, bowed down 
to the high priest, and saluted him with a religious 
veneration, to the great surprize of all that attended 
him, especially the Syrians and Phoenicians, who 
expected nothing less, than that Alexander would 
have destroyed this people, as he had the Tyrians. 
Indeed, they came hither with an eager desire to 
witness their destruction; and from the hatred 
they had to them, to take a part in the execution 
of such a design. While all stood amazed at this 
behaviour, which was so contrary to their expec- 
tations, the king told them not to be astonished 
at what he had done, for he did not intend that 
adoration he had given as homage to the high 
priest, but to that God whose priest he was. For 
when he was in Dio, in Macedonia, and there 



412 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



deliberating with himself, how he should carry on 
his war against the Persians; and was in much 
doubt about the undertaking, this very person, 
and in this very habit, appeared to him in a vision, 
and encouraged him to lay aside all thoughtfulness 
and diffidence about the matter, and pass over 
into Asia, promising that God would be his guide 
in the expedition, and give him the empire of the 
Persians. Therefore, on seeing this person, and 
knowing him by his habit, as well as by his shape 
and countenance, to be the very same that appeared 
to him at Dio, he felt himself assured, from 
hence, that if he entered upon the present war, 
under the direction of God, then he was certain, 
with his assistance, to conquer Darius, and over- 
throw the Persian empire ; that he should succeed 
in all things according to his heart's desire. It was 
therefore, in the person of this high priest that he 
paid his adoration unto him, who is the God of all 
the riches of the earth. He then turned again to 
Simon, and kindly embraced him, and entered into 
Jerusalem with him in a friendly manner. When 
the high priest had entered the city, and shewed 
him the temple of the Lord, he said, ''Blessed be 
the Lord God of Israel, the God of this house !" 
The King upon this, requested of Simon the Just, 
that they should make a golden image of his like- 
ness, for a memorial, and place it between the porch 
and the altar; but the priest answered him, " It is 
forbidden from the Lord, our God, to receive any 
image or likeness; but a greater memorial than 
thou hast desired we will make for thee ; that is, 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



413 



all the male children, which shall be born unto the 
priest this year, shall all be called Alexander after 
thy name." The king seemed pleased therewith; 
and also gave a great quantity of gold towards the 
repairs of the temple, and having worshipped the 
Lord, he went forth. This was in the fortieth year 
after the building of the temple, and three hundred 
and eighty years before the destruction thereof by 
the Romans. This Simon, the high priest, from 
the holiness of his life, and the great righteousness 
which shone forth in all his actions, was called 
Simon the Just. 

Jose Ben Joeser and Jose Ben Jochanan received 
the oral law from Antigonus, of Socho, in the year 
3500, and they are reckoned the twenty-ninth re- 
ceivers from Mount Sinai, and these were the first 
of the Pairs. They were in succession for five gene- 
rations, till the time of Hillel, as will be shewn 
hereafter ; and the author of Sepher Tuchsin says, 
" That of these Pairs, the first of each was Nassi, 
that is, president of the great Sanhedrim • and the 
other Ab Beth Bin Wyrosh Yeshivo, i. e. vice-presi- 
dent of the same, and head of the divinity school." 
Both of them were, while in these offices, the chief 
teachers in the schools of divinity ; and so says 
Abarbanel. 

These five Pairs of the Mishnacal doctors were 
not called by the name of Rabbin, nor that of 
Rabbi, but by their proper names only ; and that 
on account of the superlative degree of their worth 
and pre-eminence, as it was impossible to find a 
title worthy of them, or that could convey an ade- 



414 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



quate idea of their extraordinary merit ; and it is 
for this very reason that no title was conferred on 
any of the prophets. But those doctors that were 
beneath this degree of pre-eminence, were called by 
the title of Rabbin ; and those a degree lower were 
called by the title of Rabbi, according to Maimoni- 
des, in his preface to Sedar Zerohim. 

Joshua, the son of Perechiah, and Nathan, the 
Arbelite, received the oral law from Jose Ben 
Joezer and Jose Ben Jochanan, in the year 3560. 
Contemporary with them, says Maimonides, was 
Jochanan, the son of Mattathias, the high priest, 
and they were reckoned the thirtieth receivers from 
Mount Sinai. 

Judah Ben Tabbai and Simon Ben Shetach re- 
ceived the oral law from Joshua, the son of Pere- 
chiah, and Nathan, the Arbelite, in the year 3621 ; 
and they are reckoned the thirty-first receivers 
according to Rabbi Abarbanel. 

Shemaiah and Abtalyon received the oral law 
from Judah Ben Tabbai and Simon Ben Shetach ; 
and they are accounted the thirty-second receivers 
from Mount Sinai. According to the author of 
Sepher Tuchsin, they received it in the year 3722, 
and in that case their immediate predecessors, viz. 
Judah Ben Tabbai and Simon Ben Shetach must 
have presided upwards of a hundred years ; for from 
the time they received the oral law from Joshua, 
the son of Perechiah, and Nathan, the Arbelite, in 
the year 3621, till they delivered it to Shemaiah 
and Abtalyon, in the year 3722, there intervened 
a hundred and one years ; and to Shemaiah and 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



415 



Abtalyon he has allowed but six years; viz. from 
the year 3722, till the year 3728 ; although I can- 
not find from whence he has gathered this chrono- 
logical account, or what authority he has for it. 

Shemaiah and Abtalyon were both proselytes of 
justice, and sons of the same father, by whom they 
derived their descent from Senacharib, King of 
Assyria ; but they had for their mother a woman of 
Israel, otherwise they could not have been members 
of the great Sanhedrim, or held any place of judi- 
cature in the Jewish nation. 

Hillel and Shammai received the oral law from 
Shemaiah and Abtalyon, in the year 3728 ; and 
they are accounted the thirty-third receivers of the 
oral law. Hillel on his first entering into the office 
of president of the Sanhedrim, had^for his vice- 
president, one Manachim, a very learned man of 
those times ; but he not long after deserting his 
station, (with several more) to enter into the service 
of Herod, Shammai was chosen in his place. Hillel 
was born in Babylon, and there lived till the fortieth 
year of his life, at which age he came to Jerusalem, 
and there betook himself to the study of the law, 
in which he grew so eminent, that after forty years 
more he became president of the Sanhedrim, being 
then eighty years old, and continued in that office 
for forty years after, so that he lived one hundred 
and twenty years, the same as Moses. He was one 
of the most eminent men that ever was among the 
doctors of the Jewish nation, for birth, learning, 
rule, and posterity. As to his birth, he was of the 
seed of David, lineally descended from Shephatiah, 



416 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



the daughter of Abegail, David's wife. As for rule, 
he bore it in the highest station of honor for forty 
years together • for so long as president of the 
Sanhedrim, he sat in the first chair of justice, over 
the whole Jewish nation, and discharged himself 
therein with greater wisdom and justice than any 
that had from the time of Simon the Just, possessed 
that place. And as to his posterity, he was so 
happy therein, that for several descents they suc- 
ceeded him in the same eminence of learning, and 
thereby gained the same station of honor ; for those 
of his family were presidents of the Sanhedrim, 
from father to son, to the tenth generation, till the 
time of Hillel the Second, who was the compiler of 
the present calendar of the Jewish years. The 
time when he first entered on his presidentship, was 
just one hundred years before the destruction of 
the temple. He brought up several thousand scho- 
lars in the knowledge of the law ; among these, 
eighty were reckoned to be of far greater eminence 
than the rest. The most eminent of them all was 
Jonathan Ben Uzziel, the author of the Chaldea 
Paraphrase upon the Prophets. Contemporary with 
Jonathan Ben Uzziel, was Rabbi Nechunnia, the 
son of Kannah, who was the author of Sepher 
Habboir, a profound and elaborate discourse of the 
Cabala or Scripture Mysteries. Also Rabbi Chan- 
nania, the son of Hezekiah, author of Megillath 
Taanith, being an historical account of all the 
adversities and troubles that happened to the Jewish 
nation, and of the miraculous deliverances which 
the Almighty vouchsafed unto them, and on account 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



417 



of which fasts and feasts were instituted. This 
work is inserted in the Talmud, immediately follow- 
ing the Mishna. 

Rabbin Simon, the son of Hillel, and Rabbi 
Jochanan, the son of Zacchee, received the oral 
law from Hillel, in the year 3768 ; and they are 
accounted the thirty-fourth receivers from Mount 
Sinai, according to the opinion of Rabbi Abarbanel. 

Rabbi Gamliel the Old, received the oral law 
from his father Rabbi Simeon, and succeeded him 
in the office of Nassi, and Rabbi Jochanan con- 
tinued in the office of vice-president ; and accord- 
ing to the opinion of Rabbi Abarbanel, Rabbi Gam- 
liel was the thirty-fifth receiver from Mount Sinai. 

The year 3788 was remarkable for the transla- 
tion of the great Sanhedrim from Jerusalem, to the 
school of Jabne, (where learning was attended with 
those advantages, which, during the troubles at 
Jerusalem, could not be enjoyed), forty years before 
the destruction of the temple. It was there that 
Rabbi. Samuel composed the prayer against the 
heretics, by command of Rabbi Gamliel. 

Rabbi Simeon the Second, son of Rabbi Gam- 
liel the Old, succeeded his father in the president- 
ship of the Sanhedrim, in the year 3810, eighteen 
years before the destruction of the temple ; and 
Rabbi Abarbanel has reckoned him as the tenth 
receiver among the Mishnacal doctors, and thirty- 
six from Mount Sinai. Rabbi Jochanan Ben Zac- 
chee was his vice-president also; for he was in that 
station during the presidency of Rabbi Simon, the 
son of Hillel, and Rabbi Gamliel the Old, and this 
3 G 



418 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



Rabbi Simon the Second. After the death of Rabbi 
Simon the Second, who was one of the ten most 
eminent martyrs that suffered for their constant 
adherence to their most holy religion, he being the 
first of them. Rabbi Jochanan retiring to Jabne, 
there became Nassi, and president of the Sanhedrim, 
which dignity he enjoyed for five, that is, from the 
year 3828, when Rabbi Simon suffered martyrdom, 
till the time of his death, which happened in the 
year 3833, he having lived to the age of one hun- 
dred and twenty years ; and therefore, according to 
the opinion of Rabbi Abarb.anel, he is the thirty- 
seventh receiver from Mount Sinai. 

Rabbi Gamliel the Second, the son of Rabbi 
Simon the Martyr, was made Nassi, and president 
of the Sanhedrim. After the death of Rabbi Jocha- 
nan, in the year 3833, five years after the destruc- 
tion of Jerusalem ; and Rabbi Eliezar the Great, 
the son of Hircanus, was his vice-president. The 
latter composed a treatise, called Pyrke, wherein he 
comprises the history of the world, bringing it 
down to the time of his colleague, Rabbi Gamliel 
the Second. They received the oral law from Rabbi 
Simon the Martyr, and Rabbi Jochanan Ben Zac- 
chee ; and according to Abarbanel, they were the 
thirty-eighth receivers from Mount Sinai. 

Rabbi Akiba Ben Joseph, one of the most emi- 
nent of the Mishnacal doctors, was president of 
the Sanhedrim, after the death of Rabbi Gamliel. 
He was a proselyte, and of the posterity of Sisera, 
captain of the host of Jabin, King of Hazor, men- 
tioned in the fourth chapter of Judges. Contem- 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



419 



porary with him was Ankelos, the proselyte, who 
wrote the Chaldea Paraphrase upon the Law ; as 
also Rabbi Ishmael, author of a discourse, called 
" The Thirteen Ways of expounding the Law." In 
this age also was Akilas, the proselyte, who wrote 
a Greek Paraphrase upon the Law, from the mouth 
of Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Joshua, in the same 
manner as Ankelos did. 

Rabbi Simeon the Third, son of Rabbi Gamliel 
the Second, became Nassi and president of the 
Sanhedrim, and Rabbi Myer, who was a proselyte 
and a disciple of Rabbi Akiba was his vice-presi- 
dent. Contemporary with them was Rabbi Simeon 
Ben Jochai, author of the Zohar, a cabalistical 
commentary upon the Pentateuch. Although he 
did not write the whole himself, yet having began 
it, and dictated the rest to his scholars, they some- 
time after committed it to writing, and published 
the whole under his name. Throughout the whole 
Talmud, this Rabbi's name is mentioned with vene- 
ration ; not on account of his great attainment in 
cabalistical learning only, but also for his extraordi- 
nary abilities and wisdom in deciding many weighty 
questions in the law. Secondly, Rabbi Joseph Ben 
Chalaphta, author of Sedar Olam Rabba, i. e. the 
larger chronicon, (it is so called in respect to Sedar 
Olam Zoutah, i. e. the lesser chronocon, which was 
composed some ages after), a chronological treatise 
from the creation of the world, to the time of the 
Emperor Adrian; he was master to Rabbi Judah 
Hakkodosh, i. e. the holy. Thirdly, Rabbi Judah 
Ben Alloay, who was held in great veneration for 



420 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



his extraordinary piety ; he was author of a treatise 
called Siphri, a mystic and allegorical comment 
upon Leviticus. Fourthly, Rabbi Nathan, the Baby- 
lonian, who was author of a treatise, entitled, Pyrke 
Oboth of Rabbi Nathan, containing the moral 
apophthegms and pious sentences of the Mishnacal 
doctors ; the whole forming a complete system of 
ethics. This book is inserted in the body of the 
Talmud. 

Rabbi Judah, the Nassi, who is commonly called 
holy doctor, was the son of Gamliel, the second 
abovementioned < he received the oral law about 
the year 3910; and he is accounted the fortieth 
receiver from Mount Sinai. 

Rabbi Judah Hakkodosh was the compiler of the 
Mishna ; for having seriously considered the state 
of the Jewish nation in his time, and also perceiv- 
ing that the captivity had already continued a long 
time, he having lived about one hundred years after 
the destruction of the temple, and that those learned 
in the oral law began to decrease, and justly appre- 
hending that the face of affairs might one day grow 
worse, came to the resolution of compiling and 
digesting into one body, all those doctrines and 
practices of the Jewish church, which had been 
preserved and conveyed down to posterity by oral 
tradition, from the time of the elders and the pro- 
phets, the men of the great synagogue, and also by 
the Mishnacal doctors, down to his own time. All 
these he committed to writing, and arranged them 
under six general heads, called Sedorim, i. e. orders 
or classes, as follows : — 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



421 



The first general head, which is entitled Zerohim, 
treats of those laws which concerns seeds, fruits, 
herbs, &c. This part is comprised in the eleven 
books, called Meseehthoth; the first of which is 
entitled Berochoth, i. e. blessings which are filled up 
with prayers and thanksgivings, for the fruits of 
the earth, and all other benefits, of what nature 
soever; together with the circumstances of time 
and place in which they are to be used; and all 
this is ordered because we may not lawfully make 
use of, or enjoy these creatures, without previous 
thanksgivings, as already mentioned. The second 
book is entitled Peah ; i. e. a corner ; this book 
treats of our obligation to leave some parts, or 
corners of our ground, for the benefit of the poor, 
to be gleaned by them. The third book, entitled 
Demoi; i. e. a doubtful thing; treats of those things 
concerning which there is a doubt whether or no 
tithes have been paid of them; for we are not 
allowed to eat any thing till we are certainly 
assured it hath been tithed. The fourth book, 
entitled Tyrumoth ; i. e. oblations; treats of what 
things each man was obliged to set apart, and offer 
for the use of the priests. The fifth book, entitled 
Shyvuth; i. e. the seventh year; treats of the laws 
of the sabbatical year, in which the land was to 
rest and lie fallow, and debts remitted, &c. The 
sixth book, entitled Kyloyim ; i. e. heterogeneous 
things; treats of the unlawfulness of mixing or 
joining together things of a different nature and 
kind ; as the sowing seeds of different species in 
one bed ; grafting a scion upon the stock of a 



422 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



different species ; suffering cattle of different species 
to engender. The seventh book, entitled Maaser 
Rishoun ; i. e. the first tenths ; treats of the laws 
of tithes, or first tenths, which were to be given to 
the Levites. The eighth book, entitled Maaser 
Shyni; i. e. the second tenths ; treats of the laws 
of the second tithes, which were to be carried to 
Jerusalem, and there eaten; or else to be redeemed, 
and the money spent at Jerusalem, in peace offer- 
ings. The ninth book, entitled Chalah ; i. e. a 
cake ; treats of the commandment which obliges 
them to set apart a cake of their dough for the 
priests; as also what kind of dough it is, that the 
cake is obliged to be separated from, and what 
kind not. The tenth book, entitled Orlah ; i. e. 
uncircumcised • treats of the unlawfulness of eating 
of the fruit of any tree till the fifth year of its 
growth; that is, the first three years of its bearing, 
the fruit is called uncircumcised ; the fourth year, 
it is holy to the Lord ; and the fifth year, it may 
be eaten. The eleventh book, entitled Bixurim; 
i. e. first fruits ; treats of what things, and after 
what manner, first fruits were to be offered in 
the temple. 

The second general head is entitled Sedar Moed; 
i. e. the order of the festivals ; so called, because it 
treats of all those laws which were given concern- 
ing festivals, and days of solemn observation. 
Under this head are comprised the following books ; 
viz. First, Shabbath, which contains all the laws 
relating to the sabbath. This book contains no 
less than twenty-four chapters. Second, Eyeruvin; 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



423 



i. e. mixtures or associations ; this treats of mixing 
for courts and entries, which are called associations, 
because thereby all the inhabitants of the court, or 
entry where the mixture is made, are accounted as 
belonging to one family, and are, therefore, allowed 
to carry victuals from one house to the other. It 
also treats of the mixture of a sabbatical journey. 
Third, Pysochim ; which treats of all the rites and 
ceremonies of the Paschal lamb to be offered for 
the passover. Fourth, Shekolim ; this treats of 
the half shekels, which every Jew, whether rich or 
poor, was obliged to pay every year towards the 
daily sacrifice. Fifth, Yomo; which treats of the 
great day of expiation, and all the solemnities 
proper to it. Sixth, Sukka; i. e. Tabernacle; 
because this treats of the feast of tabernacles ; shew- 
ing in what manner the tabernacles are to be built 
for what, and so on. Seventh, Yom Tov, i. e. festi- 
vals ; because this shews what works may, or may not 
lawfully be done on any of the festivals, which are 
called days of holy convocation, on which no servile 
work may be done. Eighth, Rosh Hoshona ; i. e. 
new year ; because this treats of the laws and 
solemnities of the feast of the new year ; as also the 
feasts of the new moons. Ninth, Taanith ; i. e. 
fasts ; because this treats of the various fasts 
throughout the year. Tenth, Mygila ; which treats 
of the feasts of Purim, and gives directions how, 
and in what manner the book of Esther is to be 
read. Eleventh, Moed Koeton; i. e. the lesser 
festival ; because it shews what sort of work may 
lawfully be done on the second, third, fourth, fifth, 



424 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



and sixth days. When the first and seventh days are 
holy, these intermediate days being lesser festivals, 
have accordingly took the denomination of Moed 
Koeton. Twelfth, Ghagiga ; herein is specified 
what persons, how qualified, and with what things, 
they are bound to appear before the Lord, at the 
three great solemnities in every year. 

The third general head, entitled Noeshem ; i. e. 
woman ; treats chiefly of the laws pertaining to 
women; as marriages, divorces, cases of jealousy, 
and other matters. Under this head is comprised 
the following books ; viz. First, Yevommoth, which 
treats of the law of obliging one brother to marry 
the relict of the deceased brother. It also shews 
how and when this obligation is to take place, and 
likewise the ceremonies to be observed at the per- 
formance thereof. Second, Ketherbboth, which 
treats of the laws of doweries, settlements, and the 
like ; as also concerning such women as happen to 
have estates fall to them, whether real or personal. 
Third, Nydorim ; i. e. vows ; which gives an 
account of what vows are binding, and to what 
persons ; as also how and when they are null and 
void. For it must be observed, that when a married 
woman makes a vow, the husband is vested with 
the sole power of confirming or annulling it, and 
therefore, this specifies how this is to be done ; as 
also what kind of vows do fall under his cogni- 
zance, and what do not. Fourth, Nazir ; this 
treats of the laws relating to the different sorts of 
Nazarites. Fifth, Souta ; which treats of the laws 
pertaining to the trial of jealousy ; as also the 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



425 



punishment subsequent thereto, if she had been 
guilty of the crime of adultery. Sixth, Gitin, i. e. 
divorcements ; because it treats of the laws of divorce- 
ments, and explains when, and for what reasons a 
divorcement should take place. It also treats of 
the formalities to be observed, previous to, and at, 
the performance of the act of divorcement. Seventh,, 
Kiddushin ; i. e. betrothing ; because it treats of 
the laws of betrothing, and some other previous 
rites of marriages. 

The fourth general head is entitled Nyzikin; i. e. 
damages or injuries; because it treats of all manner 
of injuries done, either by man or beast 3 as also, 
what punishment may legally be inflicted on the 
offending party ; and what kind of reparation was 
to be made to the offending party. Under this 
head are comprised the following books ; viz. First, 
Bovo Komo, which treats of all such damages as 
may be received, from either man or beast. Second, 
Bovo Mytzio, which treats of the laws of usury, 
and explains what is, or is not accounted an act of 
usury; as also, of matters of special trust, of letting 
to hire, and so on. The third, Bovo Bothro, which 
treats, first, of the laws of commerce, and copartner- 
ship. Secondly, of buying and selling. Thirdly, 
of the laws of inheritance, and the right of succes- 
sion ; these are comprised in the first book. The 
second book, entitled Sanhedrim ; gives an account 
of the Sanhedrim, or great senate ; as also the 
inferior courts of judicature of the Jewish nation ; 
of the causes cognizable, and the crimes punishable 
by them ; together with the four kinds of death 
3 H 



426 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



inflicted by them on malefactors, for capital offences. 
Likewise, how and in what manner the Judges are 
to examine the witnesses, in order to find whether 
what had been delivered in evidence was true or 
not. The third book, entitled Mokkoth ; which 
treats of false witnesses, and what it is that consti- 
tutes them such 5 as also, the law of the forty 
stripes ; and the reason why the Rabbies sub- 
stracted one from that number, so that thirty-nine 
only were to be inflicted on the delinquent; together 
with an account of the manner of inflicting the 
said punishment. It further treats of those that 
were bound to fly to the city of refuge, for slaying 
a person unawares. The fourth book, entitled 
Shevuoth • i. e. oaths ; because it explains the 
laws of administering oaths, and shews in what 
cases an oath is to be admitted between the con- 
tending parties, and when not; and also, w T hat 
persons are qualified to take an oath. The fifth 
book, entitled Eydoioth; i. e. evidences or testi- 
monies; because it treats of the decisions of several 
important questions, collected from the testimonies 
of several of the most eminent Rabbies ; such as 
Shammai ; Rabbi Judah, the compiler of the Mishna 5 
Rabbi Judah ; Ben Bovo; and others. The sixth 
book, entitled Avouda Zora; i. e. idolatry; because 
it treats of all manner of idolatry; not the worship 
of idols only, but likewise of the sun, moon, or 
any other of the planets ; and, therefore, it is 
entitled a Voudath Chouchovim ; i, e. the worship 
of the stars, or other planets. It further treats of 
those commandments which oblige us to avoid all 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



427 



manner of converse with idolaters ; as also not to 
follow, or imitate any of their manners or customs j 
and, therefore, the manners and forms of the 
different modes of worship among the idolatrous 
nations, are fully and clearly explained therein ; in 
order that they may know all the different modes 
of idolatrous worship; that they may thereby be 
the better enabled to avoid the heinous crime of 
idolatry. The seventh book, entitled, Oboth ; i. e. 
fathers ; because it gives an historical account of 
those fathers, who, in their respective ages, suc- 
cessively received, preserved and delivered the oral 
law from Moses till the time of its compilation, as 
already shewn. The eighth book, entitled Houroioth; 
treats of the punishment that was to be inflicted on 
that person, who should presumptuously do, or 
teach any thing in opposition to the decrees and 
public decisions of the great Sanhedrim, sitting in 
Jerusalem. 

The fifth general head, entitled Koedoshim ; i. e. 
holy things ; because it treats of the laws pertaining 
to sacrifices, oblations, and in a word, all religious 
performances whatever, and contains eleven books ; 
the first of which is entitled Zevochim ; i. e. sacri- 
fices ; because it treats of the offering of the sacri- 
fices; shewing of what nature and quality they 
ought to be ; as also at what time, in what place, 
and by whom they were to be killed, prepared, and 
offered. The second book, entitled Chulin ; treats 
of what is clean, and what is unclean ; i. e. what 
may or may not lawfully be eaten ; likewise of the 
not killing the dam, and its young in one day : 



428 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



the not eating of the sinew, which is in the hinder 
part of the beast, called the sinew which shrank. 
Of not taking the dam and the young if they should 
chance to find a nest. The third book is entitled 
Menochoth ; i. e. oblations ; because it treats of the 
oblations of flour and oil, and wine, proper to each 
sacrifice. Further, of the two wave loaves, which 
were to be of fine flour, and offered on the feasts of 
weeks. The fourth book, entitled Bychouroth ; i. e. 
first born, because it treats of the laws relating to 
the first born of living creatures : shewing how and 
when they are to be redeemed with money, or 
offered for sacrifice. Also the tithes of all manner 
of cattle. The fifth book, entitled Erchin ; i. e. esti- 
mation ; because it treats of the manner in which 
things that are devoted to the Lord are to be 
estimated or valued, in order that they may be 
redeemed, and applied to common and ordinary 
uses. Also concerning a person that sanctifies his 
own field, or one that he has bought ; in either case 
it explains in what manner the priest is to value it. 
The sixth book, entitled Tymuroh • i. e. exchang- 
ing • because it shews and explains how far it may 
be lawful to exchange one sacred thing for another, 
that is, a beast that has been devoted to be offered 
to the Lord ; in what particular case it may be 
allowed to be exchanged ; for in most cases where 
a beast has been devoted to the Lord, and then 
exchanged, both it, and the exchange thereof, are 
to be holy. The seventh book, entitled Myiloh ; 
i. e. sacrilege; because it treats of and explains the 
nature of sacrilege, and wherein it consists. The 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



429 



eighth book, entitled Kyrithuth ; i. e. excision ; 
because it explains the nature of that punishment, 
which is called in the law, the being cut off from 
his people ; it also shews what offenders were liable 
to that punishment. The ninth book treats of 
the daily sacrifice, and shews how, and when it was 
to be offered. The tenth book, entitled Middoth ; 
i. e. dimensions ; because it treats of the proper 
dimensions and proportions of the temple ; it also 
explains the full extent of the outer court, and 
likewise the mount, whereon the temple, stood, 
called in Hebrew Hor Habawyeth ; i. e. the mount 
of the house; for as all those that had contracted 
pollution, either by the touch of a dead body, or 
otherwise, were prohibited from entering the temple 
on pain of excision. It was therefore necessary, 
that the exact bounds thereof should be ascertained 
in order that they might be enabled to avoid the 
crime of entering any part of the temple during 
their pollutions, and consequently the punishment 
thereof. The eleventh book, entitled Kinnim ; 
treats of the young pigeons, or turtle doves, which 
the poor, whose abilities could not reach an higher 
sacrifice, were allowed to offer. 

The sixth general head, entitled Taharoth, i. e. 
purifications ; because it treats of the general laws 
pertaining to pollutions and purifications. Under 
this head are comprised the following books. The 
first is entitled Kylim, i. e. vessels or utensils ; be- 
cause it treats of those pollutions incident to ves- 
sels or utensils, whether made of wood, stone, 
pewter, brass or copper, how, and in what manner 



430 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



they are liable to receive pollution, and how they 
are to be cleansed when polluted; it also treats in 
the same manner of all sorts of garments, whether 
made of wool, flax, or hair. The second book, 
entitled Oholoth ; i. e. tents ; because it treats of 
the pollutions that may be contracted by tents and 
dwelling-houses, and shews in what manner such 
pollutions may be contracted ; and how far those 
that enter such dwellings during the time of their 
pollutions may be affected thereby ; it also shews 
in what manner they are to be purified, after having 
received pollution. The third book, entitled Nygoim; 
i. e. plagues; because it treats of all the laws relat- 
ing to the plague of leprosy, whether of mankind, 
garments, or dwellings ; it also shews how and in 
what manner pollution may be derived from the 
affected party, and in what manner they are to be 
purified. The fourth book, entitled Poroh, i. e, 
heifer ; because it treats of the laws of the red 
heifer, shewing in what manner the said heifer was 
to be burnt to ashes, in order to make the water of 
separation thereof ; as also how, and in what man- 
ner all uncleanness contracted by approaching or 
touching of a dead body was to be purified by means 
of the ashes of the red heifer. The fifth book, 
entitled Taharoth ; i. e. purification ; because it 
treats of all those laws pertaining to such pollu- 
tions, as are, or may be contracted, otherwise than 
by the touch of a dead body ; as also how, and in 
what manner they are to be cleansed, or purified 
from such pollutions. The sixth book, entitled 
Mikvoeouth ; i. e. baths ; because it treats of the 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



431 



laws pertaining to the baths appointed for the puri- 
fication of either sex. For it must be observed, that 
all those that were polluted, let it be by what means 
soever, were obliged to the performance of ablution 
in a bath, or a river ; otherwise their purification 
was not complete ; and therefore herein is specified 
how, and in what manner the said baths are to be 
constructed ; as also the quantity of water neces- 
sary for the performance of ablution therein. The 
seventh book, entitled Niddoh ; i. e. menstruous ; 
because it treats of all the laws relating to the 
pollutions and purifications of menstruous women. 
The eighth book, entitled Machshrin, which shews 
and explains how, and in what manner seed, or 
fruit, by the mixture of liquids, are liable to receive 
pollution. The ninth book, entitled Zovin ; i. e. 
because it treats of the laws relating to the unclean- 
ness of issues, shewing when they are to be deemed 
unclean ; as also how, and in what manner either 
persons or things, may be affected by their pollu- 
tion. The tenth book, entitled Tyvull Yom ; which 
treats of all those that had been polluted, (let the 
pollution be contracted by any means whatsoever), 
and were obliged to perform the ceremony of ablu- 
tion to complete their purification ; yet, neverthe- 
less their purification was not to be accounted com- 
plete till the going down of the sun on that day on 
which the ceremony was performed. The eleventh 
book, entitled Yodoyim ; i. e. hands ; because it 
treats of the ceremonies used in washing of the 
hands. The twelfth book, entitled Ouketsin ; i. e. 
stalks ; because it treats of, and explains how the 



432 



FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND 



touching of the stalk of any sort of fruit may by 
that means convey pollution to the fruit itself. 

The Talmud comprises both the Mishna and the 
Gemara, and is arranged in the following order. 
Every Mishna stands first by way of text. The 
Gemara is subjoined as a comment, under which 
the various opinions of the doctors are propounded, 
and absolutely decided. Both combined form the 
Talmud, which is a complete system of all their 
learning, and a comprehensive rule of all practical 
parts of the laws and religion. Notwithstanding 
the difference observable among the Talmudists, 
yet such differences are only in matters of minor 
importance. And we may also observe, that with 
these their different sentiments, they have agreed 
upon some general rules relative to the decision of 
all emergent difficulties. Hence, it is plain that 
they are perfectly agreed in the main points, and 
never find themselves at a loss for a rule to proceed 
by in the decision of any controverted point what- 
soever. Therefore I shall in the first place take 
notice of those traditional explanations, which 
having been received from Moses himself, are either 
expressly contained in Scripture, or may by easy, 
plain and natural consequence be deduced from 
them, and such as no man is allowed to contradict, 
the authority by which they are established being 
above all exception. 

Secondly, such doctrines or practices, which 
although they are not received upon the same 
grounds with the former, as being neither expressly 
nor consequently contained in Scripture; yet upon 



MANNERS OF THE JEWS. 



433 



the strength and credit of an uninterrupted pre- 
vailing tradition, are embraced and received by 
them as coming likewise from Moses. 

Thirdly, such as are derived from the different 
reasonings and disputations of the doctors on this 
or that particular point. For several of them, by 
their intense study and application, in searching 
into the meaning of holy writ, have from such and 
such a text, drawn this or that conclusion; and 
at the same time, established the fact as it suited 
themselves, and, of coarse, as they thought, ac- 
cording to the word of God. 

Fourthly, such ordinances and rules of practice 
as were appointed and made use of by the old 
prophets, and succeeding doctors of the Jewish 
church. 

Fifthly, such injunctions and decrees as were 
published by the doctors in Rabbi Judah's life 
time ; and were instituted on purpose to preserve 
a just veneration for, and a due observance of every 
precept in the law. In conformity to this design 
of the author of the Mishna, the Gemara propounds 
four rules not to be departed from. First, the 
grounds upon which the Mishna was established. 
Secondly, the deciding of the controverted points 
among the doctors ; and directing whom to follow 
in the practice. Thirdly, the decrees and ordi- 
nances enacted therein, and which are to be a 
standing law until time is no more. 

Lastly, some mystical expositions of the law, and 
parabolical histories, not to be understood according 
to the letter, but in a figurative sense, and with a 
3 i 



434 FORMS, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS. 

design to instruct the Jewish nation in its useful 
precepts; and those precepts God himself delivered 
by word of mouth to Moses. For God planted it 
in heaven, and Moses, in the presence of God, 
watered it, by his command. It was planted in 
such a manner, that the root is under the mercy 
seat ; the stem reaches from heaven to earth ; the 
branches spread over the Jewish nation, which is 
the word of God, from which the Mishna sprung. 
The leaves never wither, nor fall off, but will 
remain for evermore. Every moment fresh leaves 
spring forth, which are the Rabbinical comments, 
and come by God's instruction, which the un- 
learned cannot fathom out, as being allegorical. 
Therefore, the Rabbies say, for the Jews to make 
themselves happy, is to go according to their 
instructions ; and the final result will be, they will 
find their purgatory of a short duration, before 
entering into their final rest. 



BUCK, PRINTER, CULLUM STREET, FENCHURCII STREET, LONDON. 



